Driving assistance device, driving assistance device control method, program, vehicle, and vehicle control method

Abstract

To appropriately assist driving of a driver by detecting an obstacle in a peripheral environment of a vehicle by LiDAR, acquiring distance information about the obstacle with high accuracy, and notifying the driver to urge the driver to grip a steering wheel at an appropriate timing.SOLUTION: The driving assistance device includes a grip determiner that detects a state in which a driver grips a steering wheel of a vehicle and acquires grip determination information obtained by determining a result of the detection, a LiDAR unit that irradiates an obstacle present in a surrounding environment in a traveling direction of the vehicle with laser light and acquires measurement information on the obstacle measured by detecting reflected light from the obstacle, a notifier that notifies the driver of driving assistance information for assisting driving of the vehicle, and a driving controller that controls the driving assistance information output by the notifier based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determiner.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1B

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device, a control method for a driving assistance device, a program, a vehicle, and a control method for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, as a conventional technique, Patent Document 1 proposes a driving assistance device for a vehicle that is steered in response to the driver's steering operation, which alerts the driver to hold the steering wheel if the driver takes their hands off the steering wheel.

[0003] In the above-described conventional technology, the driving assistance device uses a camera to capture images of the vehicle's surroundings and detects obstacles around the vehicle based on the output values ​​of the camera. When the driving assistance device detects using a tactile sensor that the driver has let go of the steering wheel while the vehicle is traveling on a narrow road, the driving assistance device outputs an appropriate steering angle to a steering control unit to prevent the vehicle from hitting an obstacle. The driving assistance device then alerts the driver to hold on to the steering wheel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2014-196039 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As described above, in the above-described conventional driving assistance device, a camera is used to capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle to detect obstacles, and obstacles and the like around the vehicle are detected based on the output values ​​of the camera.

[0006] When a camera is used to detect obstacles, its detection performance deteriorates significantly in environments where sufficient luminance and color difference information cannot be obtained, such as at night, in low light, backlight, halation, or in bad weather such as rain, snow, or thick fog. While an obstacle can be detected by capturing images of the vehicle's surroundings using a camera, it is not possible to accurately determine the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle. For this reason, the driver's sense of distance, for example, as to whether the vehicle can pass through a narrow road, ultimately depends on the driver's visual judgment.

[0007] In other words, the above-mentioned conventional technology is unable to obtain distance information regarding obstacles in the vehicle's surrounding environment with high accuracy, and therefore is unable to notify the driver of the need to hold the steering wheel at the appropriate time, resulting in the problem of being unable to properly assist the driver in their driving.

[0008] The present invention is based on the inventors' findings, and aims to appropriately assist the driver in driving by detecting obstacles in the vehicle's surrounding environment using LiDAR, obtaining distance information about the obstacles with high accuracy, and notifying the driver to hold the steering wheel at the appropriate time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: A driving assist device that assists a driver in driving a vehicle, a grip determination unit that detects a state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel of the vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result; a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) unit that irradiates a laser beam onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle and acquires measurement information about the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle; a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information for assisting the driver in driving the vehicle; The vehicle is characterized by having a driving control unit that controls the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit.

[0010] In the driving assistance device, The notification unit may display attention-calling or warning information corresponding to the driving assistance information, vibrate at a period and / or amplitude based on the driving assistance information, or emit voice and / or warning sound.

[0011] In the driving assistance device, The notification unit may notify the driver by transmitting the driving assistance information to the driver in a tactile manner by vibrating the steering wheel.

[0012] In the driving assistance device, The notification unit outputs a notification signal including the driving assistance information to a mobile device connected to the notification unit via wireless communication or wired communication, In response to the notification signal, the portable device may display attention-calling or warning information based on the driving assistance information, vibrate at a period and / or amplitude based on the driving assistance information, or emit a voice and / or a warning sound.

[0013] In the driving assistance device, In the detection mode, the operation control unit acquiring a measured distance between the vehicle and the obstacle based on the measurement information, and acquiring a distance value between adjacent obstacles; The driving assistance information output from the notification unit may be controlled based on the measured distance and the interval value.

[0014] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit The measured distance may be compared with a predetermined reference distance, and if it is determined that the measured distance is less than the reference distance, the driving assistance information output from the notification unit may be controlled based on the interval value.

[0015] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit If it is determined that the measured distance is less than the reference distance, the distance value is compared with a first reference distance value that is greater than a preset width of the vehicle; If it is determined that the interval value is less than the first reference interval value, the interval value is compared with a second reference interval value that is set in advance and is smaller than the first reference interval value; If it is determined that the interval value is less than the second judgment standard interval value, the notification unit may output the driving assistance information to warn that the vehicle cannot pass between the obstacles and / or to alert the driver to hold the steering wheel.

[0016] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit When it is determined that the distance value is equal to or greater than the first determination reference distance value, the grip determination unit N determines whether the driver is not gripping the steering wheel or is not firmly gripping the steering wheel based on the grip determination information acquired, If it is determined that the driver is not gripping the steering wheel or is not gripping the steering wheel firmly, the notification unit may output the driving assistance information to alert the driver to grip the steering wheel firmly.

[0017] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit After causing the notification unit to output the driving assistance information to call the driver's attention, determining whether the vehicle has passed between the obstacles based on the measurement information; When it is determined that the vehicle is not passing between the obstacles, the notification unit may be configured to output the driving assistance information to call the driver's attention.

[0018] In the driving assistance device, The grip determination unit may be a HoD (Hands Off Detection) device that detects the state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel by using a capacitance sensor provided on the steering wheel to detect a change in capacitance in the area of ​​the steering wheel that the driver is gripping.

[0019] In the driving assistance device, The grip determination unit may compare the HoD capacitance sense level detected by the capacitance sensor provided on the steering wheel with a preset capacitance threshold, and acquire the grip determination information based on the comparison result.

[0020] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit Execute a normal mode in which the LiDAR unit and the grip determination unit are operated; In the normal mode, based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit, it is determined whether or not an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle has been detected within a mode switching reference distance that is longer than the determination reference distance; When the obstacle is detected within the mode switching reference distance, the normal mode may be switched to the detection mode.

[0021] In the driving assistance device, The mode switching reference distance may be set to a range in which the LiDAR unit can measure obstacles present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

[0022] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit If the obstacle is not detected within the mode switching reference distance, it is determined whether or not the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit is reduced due to an obstacle caused by the surrounding environment; When it is determined that the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit is reduced due to the surrounding environment, a map mode is executed; In the map mode, a map corresponding to the surrounding environment may be read out, and position information regarding the position of the vehicle in the surrounding environment and the positions of obstacles present in the surrounding environment may be obtained based on the map.

[0023] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit After executing the map mode, a distance value between obstacles present in the surrounding environment is compared with the first determination reference distance value based on the position information; When it is determined that the distance value is equal to or greater than the first determination reference distance value, it is determined whether the driver is not gripping the steering wheel or is not firmly gripping the steering wheel based on the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit; If it is determined that the driver is not gripping the steering wheel or is not gripping the steering wheel firmly, the notification unit may output the driving assistance information to alert the driver to grip the steering wheel firmly.

[0024] In the driving assistance device, The obstacle due to the surrounding environment that reduces the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit may be weather in the surrounding environment including rain or fog.

[0025] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit acquiring a measured distance between the vehicle and the obstacle based on the measurement information, and acquiring an altitude from a roadway in the surrounding environment to the obstacle located above the roadway; The driving assistance information output from the notification unit may be controlled based on the measured distance and the altitude.

[0026] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit Based on the measurement information, a measured distance is acquired that measures the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle, an interval value is acquired that is an interval between adjacent obstacles, and an altitude from a roadway in the surrounding environment to the obstacle located above the roadway is acquired. The driving assistance information output from the notification unit may be controlled based on the measured distance, the interval value, and the altitude.

[0027] In the driving assistance device, The operation control unit further includes a storage unit for storing information for executing a predetermined process, The driving control unit may read the map from the storage unit in the map mode.

[0028] In the driving assistance device, The measurement information includes point cloud data including distance information related to the obstacle acquired by the LiDAR unit, In the normal mode, in order to avoid false detection / ghosting of the obstacle, the driving control unit may compare the point cloud data acquired at multiple times by the LiDAR unit to confirm in advance that the data is not a ghost of the obstacle.

[0029] A method for controlling a driving assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: A control method for a driving assist device that assists a driver in driving a vehicle, comprising: The driving assist device includes a grip determination unit that detects a state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel of the vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result, a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) unit that irradiates a laser light onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle and acquires measurement information on the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle, a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information to assist in driving the vehicle, and a driving control unit, The driving control unit controls the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit. It is characterized by:

[0030] A program according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: A program executed by a driving assist device including: a grip determination unit that detects a state in which a driver is gripping the steering wheel of a vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result; a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) unit that irradiates an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle with a laser light and acquires measurement information about the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle; a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information to assist in driving the vehicle; and a driving control unit, The driving control unit causes the computer to execute processing to control the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit.

[0031] A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: A vehicle driven by a driver, The steering wheel and a driving assist device that assists the driver in driving the vehicle, The driving assistance device is a grip determination unit that detects a state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel of the vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result; a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) unit that irradiates a laser beam onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle and acquires measurement information about the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle; a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information for assisting the driver in driving the vehicle; a driving control unit that controls the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit. It is characterized by:

[0032] A vehicle control method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: A method for controlling a driver-operated vehicle, comprising: The vehicle is The steering wheel and a driving assist device that assists the driver in driving the vehicle, The driving assist device includes a grip determination unit that detects a state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel of the vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result, a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) unit that irradiates a laser light onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle and acquires measurement information on the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle, a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information to assist in driving the vehicle, and a driving control unit, The driving control unit controls the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit. It is characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0033] According to the present invention, obstacles in the vehicle's surrounding environment are detected using LiDAR, distance information about the obstacles is obtained with high accuracy, and a notification is sent to the driver at the appropriate time to encourage him or her to hold the steering wheel, thereby appropriately assisting the driver in driving. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0034] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle to which a driving assistance device according to an embodiment is applied. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the driving assistance device shown in FIG. 1A. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the HoD capacitance sense level of the grip determination unit, each capacitance threshold, and the grip state of the steering wheel. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of division of the area where the steering wheel is gripped. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for conceptually explaining the arrangement of obstacles in the vehicle and the surrounding environment that are targets to be detected by the driving assistance device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of point cloud data measured by the LiDAR unit of the driving assist device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of a control method for a driving assist device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle to which a driving assistance device according to the first modification is applied. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side view of a vehicle according to the second modified example. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of point cloud data measured by a LiDAR unit of a driving assist device according to the second modification. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of a control method for a driving assist device according to the second modification. [Figure 11A] FIG. 11A is a view of a vehicle according to a third modified example seen from above. [Figure 11B]FIG. 11B is a side view of the vehicle according to the third modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of point cloud data measured by a LiDAR unit of a driving assist device according to the third modification. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of a control method for a driving assist device according to the third modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0035] An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings accompanying this specification, the scale and aspect ratios have been appropriately changed and exaggerated from those of the actual objects for ease of understanding. Configurations shown in some drawings may be omitted in other drawings. The scale and aspect ratios may differ between the drawings.

[0036] In this specification, terms that specify shapes, geometric conditions, and their degrees, such as "parallel," "orthogonal," and "identical," as well as values ​​of lengths and angles, are not limited to their strict meanings, but are interpreted to include a range within which similar functions can be expected.

[0037] In the following embodiments, a driving assist device that assists a driver in driving and a vehicle to which the driving assist device is applied will be described.

[0038] [vehicle] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle to which a driving assistance device according to an embodiment is applied.

[0039] 1A, for example, vehicle 200 according to this embodiment is configured to be driven by a driver DR, and travels in a direction of travel along a travel path R in a surrounding environment Z of vehicle 200. Note that travel path R is an area in which vehicle 200 can travel, including roads, parking lots, sidewalks, vacant lots, etc., on which vehicle 200 is expected to travel.

[0040] In this embodiment, the vehicle 200 includes a steering wheel S and a driving assist device 100, as shown in FIG. 1A, for example.

[0041] The steering wheel S is configured to be manually operated by the driver DR to control the steering angle of the tires (not shown) of the vehicle 200 and thereby control the traveling direction of the vehicle 200. The traveling direction and speed of the vehicle 200 are controlled by the operation of the steering wheel S by the driver DR's hand and the operation of the accelerator (not shown), brake (not shown), etc., allowing the vehicle 200 to travel on a traveling path R in the surrounding environment Z.

[0042] The driving assist device 100 is a device that assists the driver DR in driving the vehicle by operating the steering wheel S, accelerator, brake, etc. Particularly in this embodiment, the driving assist device 100 detects an obstacle OB in the surrounding environment Z of the vehicle 200 using LiDAR, obtains distance information related to the obstacle OB with high accuracy, and notifies the driver DR of driving assist information that prompts the driver DR to grip the steering wheel S at an appropriate timing.

[0043] Then, for example, the driver DR can operate the steering wheel S by hand based on this driving assistance information to avoid obstacles OB present in the surrounding environment Z of the vehicle 200 and pass through narrow paths between the obstacles OB, thereby enabling the vehicle to travel appropriately on the driving path R in the surrounding environment Z. In this way, the driving assist device 100 appropriately assists the driver DR in driving the vehicle.

[0044] Hereinafter, the configuration of the vehicle 200 shown in FIG. 1A will be described in detail, and a method for controlling the vehicle 200 will be described.

[0045] [Driving assistance device] Here, FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the driving assistance device shown in FIG. 1A.

[0046] The driving assist device 100 according to this embodiment is a device that assists the driver DR in driving a vehicle, as described above. As shown in FIG. 1B , the driving assist device 100 includes, for example, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) unit K, a notification unit T, a grip determination unit N, a driving control unit CON, and a storage unit M.

[0047] [LiDAR section] The LiDAR unit K is configured to irradiate the surrounding environment Z at least in the traveling direction of the vehicle 200 with laser light and acquire measurement information about the obstacle OB measured by detecting at least the light reflected from the obstacle OB.

[0048] The measurement information includes, for example, point cloud data including distance information related to the obstacle OB acquired by the LiDAR unit K.

[0049] Note that this obstacle OB may be, for example, a wall, a mirror, a telegraph pole, a curb, a vehicle parked on the street, road construction, a tree, a person, a vehicle traveling on the opposite side, a (parking lot), a bicycle, a (parking lot), a car, etc., but is not limited to these and may be anything that obstructs the passage of vehicle 200.

[0050] [Grip judgment section]

[0051] The grip determination unit N detects a state in which the driver DR is gripping the steering wheel S of the vehicle 200 (so-called hands-off detection), and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result.

[0052] This grip determination unit N is, for example, a HoD (Hands Off Detection) device that detects the state in which the driver DR is gripping the steering wheel S by detecting the change in capacitance of the area gripped by the driver DR using a capacitance sensor provided on the steering wheel S.

[0053] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the HoD capacitance sense level of the grip determination unit, each capacitance threshold, and the grip state of the steering wheel, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the division of the region where the steering wheel is gripped.

[0054] For example, the grip determination unit N compares a HoD capacitance sense level (FIG. 2) detected by a capacitance sensor (not shown) provided on the steering wheel S with preset capacitance thresholds Cth1 and Cth2. Based on the comparison result, the grip determination unit N acquires grip determination information indicating, for example, a state in which the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S (the period from time t0 to t1 in FIG. 2), a state in which the driver DR is not firmly gripping the steering wheel S, such as when the driver DR is gripping the steering wheel S with one hand or gripping the inside of the steering wheel S (the period from time t1 to t2 in FIG. 2), or a state in which the driver DR is firmly gripping the steering wheel S with both hands (the period from time t2 to t3 in FIG. 2). Then, as described below, the driving control unit CON determines whether the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not firmly gripping the steering wheel S with both hands based on the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit N.

[0055] 3, the sensitivity of the capacitance sensor may be set to have a gradation in areas A to H of the steering wheel S that are gripped. For example, the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit N may include information indicating the area gripped by the driver DR. Based on this grip determination information, the driving control unit CON may control the notification unit T to output driving assistance information including a warning to encourage gripping of areas B, C, F, and G of the steering wheel S, as will be described later.

[0056] [Notification Department] The notification unit T is configured to notify the driver DR of driving assistance information for assisting the driving of the vehicle 200 in response to a command from the driving control unit CON.

[0057] This notification unit T is configured to, for example, display attention or warning information corresponding to the driving assistance information, vibrate at a period and / or amplitude based on the driving assistance information, or emit voice and / or warning sounds.

[0058] This notification unit T may be, for example, a display device that displays attention-calling or warning information based on the driving assistance information to the driver DR.

[0059] In this way, when the notification unit T is a display device, the driving assistance information is, for example, an image that displays the attention or warning information, but instead of the image, or may include text information including information indicating the attention or warning information. Furthermore, the attention or warning information is not limited to the image or text information, but may include audio information or other information that means the attention or warning information.

[0060] The notification unit T may also notify the driver DR of the driving assistance information by vibrating the steering wheel S, for example.

[0061] [Operation control unit] The driving control unit CON is configured to control the operation of the vehicle 200 in response to, for example, an operation input by the driver DR. In particular, in this embodiment, the driving control unit CON is configured to control the driving assistance information output by the notification unit T based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit K and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit N.

[0062] The operation control unit CON is configured with hardware such as a CPU, etc. At least a part of the operation control unit CON may be configured with software.

[0063] Fig. 4 is a diagram conceptually illustrating the arrangement of obstacles in the vehicle and the surrounding environment that are targets of detection by the driving assistance device, and Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of point cloud data measured by the LiDAR unit of the driving assistance device.

[0064] For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit K includes point cloud data including distance information regarding the obstacles OBa to OBC acquired by the LiDAR unit K, for example.

[0065] The driving control unit CON is then able to identify the position of the vehicle 200 and the position of obstacles from the positioning data and point cloud data acquired by the LiDAR unit K. The driving control unit CON is also able to grasp the surrounding environment Z by creating a map from the point cloud data including distance information. This allows the driving assist device 100 to stably acquire measurement information on obstacles regardless of day or night, and is therefore considered to have higher environmental resistance than conventional sensors using two-dimensional cameras or stereo cameras.

[0066] The driving control unit CON may control the notification unit T to automatically output driving assistance information using the map and a history of the driving assistance information, etc., output by the notification unit T. The driving control unit CON may mark a location (spot) where the notification unit T has issued a warning at least once and store the same in the memory unit M. When the vehicle 200 reaches the vicinity of the location, the driving control unit CON may read out the driving assistance information, etc. from the memory unit M. The driving control unit CON may erase the marker at a location where an obstacle has been detected in the past and the notification unit T has output driving assistance information to issue a warning at least once, if no obstacle is detected again.

[0067] 4, in the detection mode, the driving control unit CON acquires a measured distance L that measures the distance between the vehicle 200 and an obstacle OBc based on the measurement information, and also acquires an interval value WA that is the interval between adjacent obstacles OBc and OBb. Then, the driving control unit CON controls the driving assistance information to be output from the notification unit T based on the measured distance L and the interval value WA acquired by the LiDAR unit K.

[0068] In normal mode in which the LiDAR unit K and the grip determination unit N are operated, if the driving control unit CON does not detect an obstacle OB within the mode switching reference distance Lth, it determines whether the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit K has decreased due to an obstruction caused by the surrounding environment Z.

[0069] The driving control unit CON is configured to execute the map mode when it determines that the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit K has decreased due to the surrounding environment Z. In the map mode, the driving control unit CON reads out a map corresponding to the surrounding environment Z from the memory unit M, and acquires position information regarding the position of the vehicle 200 in the surrounding environment Z and the position of an obstacle OB present in the surrounding environment Z based on the read-out map.

[0070] Note that the obstacle caused by the surrounding environment Z that reduces the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit K is, for example, weather in the surrounding environment Z that includes rain or fog.

[0071] The obstacle map is created based on, for example, measurement information about obstacles previously acquired by the LiDAR unit K. This obstacle map may be stored in advance in the storage unit M, for example.

[0072] Furthermore, as described above, the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit N may include information indicating the area gripped by the driver DR. Based on this grip determination information, the driving control unit CON may control the notification unit T to output driving assistance information including a warning to encourage gripping areas B, C, F, and G of the steering wheel S. In this way, the driving control unit CON may control the notification unit T to change the content of the driving assistance information to be output, for example, in accordance with the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit N.

[0073] Then, based on this driving assistance information, the driver DR can recognize whether the vehicle 200 is traveling straight in relation to the narrow road when passing another vehicle or passing an obstacle, and the wheel alignment (whether the tires are straight or in a rotating state). In particular, if the tires are in a rotating state when passing another vehicle or passing an obstacle, the driving control unit CON may notify the driver DR via the notification unit T to prompt the driver DR to correct the traveling direction of the vehicle 200. This allows the driver DR to correct the traveling direction of the vehicle 200 so that the vehicle 200 can pass the obstacle in a straight line.

[0074] [Storage] The storage unit M stores information for the operation control unit CON to execute predetermined processes. The storage unit M is, for example, a nonvolatile memory such as a NAND flash memory.

[0075] More specifically, the memory unit M stores a processing program and data required for the processing executed by the driving control unit CON of the driving assist device 100. The memory unit M temporarily stores, for example, information about the size (width W, height H1, etc.) of the vehicle 200, measurement information, grip determination information, driving assistance information, and information for generating a map.

[0076] The above-mentioned program is a program executed by the driving assistance device 100 which includes at least a computer (driving control unit CON), and which includes a gripping judgment unit N which detects the state in which the driver DR is gripping the steering wheel S of the vehicle 200 and acquires gripping judgment information that judges this detection result, a LiDAR unit K which acquires measurement information about the obstacle OB measured by irradiating laser light onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment Z in the direction of travel of the vehicle 200 and detecting reflected light from the obstacle OB, a notification unit T which notifies the driver DR of driving assistance information to assist in driving the vehicle 200, and the driving control unit CON, and which causes the computer (driving control unit CON) to execute a process of controlling the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit K and the gripping judgment information acquired by the gripping judgment unit N.

[0077] [Vehicle control method (driving assistance device control method)] Next, an example of a control method for the vehicle 200 according to this embodiment having the above-described configuration and functions will be described, focusing on a specific example of a control method for the driving assist device 100.

[0078] 6 is a diagram showing an example of a flow of a control method of a driving assist device according to an embodiment. The processing of steps S1 to S13 shown in FIG. 6 is mainly performed by the driving control unit CON of the driving assist device 100 executing a program prepared in advance and stored in the memory unit M.

[0079] First, for example, in response to an operation input by the driver DR, the driving control unit CON executes a normal mode in which the LiDAR unit K and the grip determination unit N are operated (step S1).

[0080] In addition, in this normal mode (at a distance where the object can be recognized but the driver DR does not need to be notified), the driving control unit CON may compare point cloud data acquired at multiple times by the LiDAR unit K to confirm in advance that it is not a ghost of an obstacle in order to avoid false detection / ghosting of an obstacle.

[0081] Next, in this normal mode, the driving control unit CON determines, based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit K, whether an obstacle OB present in the surrounding environment Z in the direction of travel of the vehicle 200 has been detected within a mode switching reference distance Lth that is longer than the judgment reference distance (step S2).

[0082] Then, when the driving control unit CON detects an obstacle OB within the mode switching reference distance Lth, it transitions from the normal mode to the detection mode (step S3). The mode switching reference distance Lth is set to a range (for example, 50 m to 100 m) in which the LiDAR unit K can measure obstacles present in the surrounding environment Z in the traveling direction of the vehicle 200.

[0083] Then, in the detection mode, the driving control unit CON acquires a measured distance L that measures the distance between the vehicle 200 and the obstacle OBc based on the measurement information, and also acquires an interval value WA of the interval between adjacent obstacles.

[0084] Then, the driving control unit CON compares the measured distance L with a preset reference distance LB (for example, 50 m), and determines whether the measured distance L to the obstacle OB is shorter than the reference distance LB (step S4).

[0085] In step S4, the operation control unit CON compares the measured distance L with the reference distance LB, and if it determines that the measured distance L is equal to or greater than the reference distance LB, it returns to step S3 and continues the detection mode.

[0086] On the other hand, if the driving control unit CON determines in step S4 that the measured distance L is less than the judgment reference distance LB, it compares the interval value WA with a first judgment reference interval value Wth1 that is greater than the preset width W of the vehicle 200 (step S5).

[0087] The first determination reference interval Wth1 is set, for example, to an interval 1.5 times the width W of the vehicle 200 (an interval that allows the vehicle 200 to pass with ease by operating the steering wheel S of the driver DR). The first determination reference interval Wth1 may be changed, for example, depending on the surrounding environment Z in which the vehicle 200 is traveling, traffic laws, etc.

[0088] If the operation control unit CON determines in step S5 that the interval value WA is less than the first judgment reference interval value Wth1, it compares the interval value WA with a predetermined second judgment reference interval value Wth2 that is smaller than the first judgment reference interval value Wth1 (step S6).

[0089] The second determination reference interval Wth2 is set, for example, to an interval 1.2 times the width W of the vehicle 200 (an interval that allows the driver DR to carefully operate the steering wheel S to allow the vehicle 200 to pass through). The second determination reference interval Wth2 may be changed, for example, depending on the surrounding environment Z in which the vehicle 200 is traveling, traffic laws, etc.

[0090] On the other hand, in the above-mentioned step S5, the driving control unit CON compares the interval value WA with a first judgment standard interval value Wth1 that is greater than the preset width W of the vehicle 200, and if it determines that the interval value WA is greater than or equal to the first judgment standard interval value Wth1, it transitions the operating mode to the above-mentioned normal mode (step S11).

[0091] Next, if the driving control unit CON determines in step S6 that the interval value WA is less than the second judgment standard interval value Wth2, it causes the notification unit T to output driving assistance information, for example, a warning that the vehicle 200 cannot pass between obstacles OBc and OBb, and / or a warning that the driver DR should hold the steering wheel S (step S7).

[0092] Then, the driving control unit CON causes the notification unit T to output the driving assistance information in step S7, and then causes the operation mode to transition to the normal mode described above (step S11).

[0093] On the other hand, if the driving control unit CON determines in the above-mentioned step S6 that the interval value WA is equal to or greater than the second judgment standard interval value Wth2, it determines whether the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not firmly gripping the steering wheel S based on the grip judgment information acquired by the grip judgment unit N (step S8).

[0094] If the driving control unit CON determines in step S8 that the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not gripping the steering wheel S firmly, it executes a notification mode and causes the notification unit T to output driving assistance information, for example, to alert the driver DR to grip the steering wheel S firmly (step S9).

[0095] According to the control flow of steps S4 to S9 as described above, when the driving control unit CON determines that the measured distance L is less than the reference distance LB, it controls the driving assistance information to be output from the notification unit T based on the interval value WA.

[0096] Then, in step S9, the driving control unit CON causes the notification unit T to output driving assistance information to alert the driver, and then determines whether the vehicle 200 has passed between the obstacles OBC and OBb based on the measurement information (step S10).

[0097] If the driving control unit CON determines in step S10 that the vehicle 200 has not passed between the obstacles OBc and OBb, it returns to step S9 and causes the notification unit T to output driving assistance information again to alert the driver.

[0098] On the other hand, if the driving control unit CON determines in step S10 that the vehicle 200 has passed between obstacles OBc and OBb, it stops the output of driving assistance information from the notification unit T and transitions the operating mode to the normal mode described above (step S11).

[0099] Here, if the driving control unit CON does not detect the obstacle OB within the mode switching reference distance Lth in the above-mentioned step S2, it determines whether the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit K has decreased due to an obstruction caused by the surrounding environment Z (step S12).

[0100] Then, when the driving control unit CON determines that the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit K has decreased due to the surrounding environment Z, the driving control unit CON executes the map mode (step S13). In the map mode, the driving control unit CON reads out a map corresponding to the surrounding environment Z from the memory unit M, and acquires position information regarding the position of the vehicle 200 in the surrounding environment Z and the positions of obstacles present in the surrounding environment Z based on the read out map.

[0101] Then, after executing the map mode of step S13, the driving control unit CON executes the aforementioned step S5 based on the position information, and compares the distance value WA between obstacles OBb and OBc present in the surrounding environment Z with a first judgment standard distance value Wth1 that is greater than the preset width W of the vehicle 200.

[0102] Then, when the driving control unit CON executes the above-mentioned step S8 and determines that the interval value WA is greater than or equal to the first judgment standard interval value Wth1, it determines whether the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not gripping the steering wheel firmly based on the grip judgment information acquired by the grip judgment unit N.

[0103] If the driving control unit CON determines in step S8 that the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not gripping the steering wheel firmly, it executes the above-mentioned step S9 and causes the notification unit T to output driving assistance information to alert the driver DR to grip the steering wheel S firmly.

[0104] On the other hand, in the above-mentioned step S8, the driving control unit CON determines whether the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not gripping the steering wheel S firmly based on the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit N, and if it determines that the driver DR is gripping the steering wheel S firmly, it executes the above-mentioned step S11 and transitions the operating mode to the normal mode.

[0105] In addition, if the driving control unit CON does not detect an obstacle OB within the mode switching reference distance Lth in the above-mentioned step S12, it determines whether the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit K has deteriorated due to an obstacle caused by the surrounding environment Z, and if it determines that the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit K has not deteriorated due to the surrounding environment Z, it executes step S11 and transitions the operating mode to normal mode.

[0106] Then, the driving control unit CON changes the operation mode to the normal mode in step S11, thereby completing the series of control flows. If the vehicle 200 continues traveling, the driving control unit CON returns to step S1 and, if a new obstacle is detected, repeats the same control flows from step S2 onwards.

[0107] According to the control flow of steps S1 to S13 as described above, in this embodiment, the driving control unit CON controls the driving assistance information to be output from the notification unit T based on the measured distance L and interval value WA acquired by the LiDAR unit K.

[0108] As a result, the driver DR can recognize the driving assistance information output from the notification unit T of the driving assistance device 100, and by holding and operating the steering wheel S based on the driving assistance information, can properly drive on the driving path R in the surrounding environment Z.

[0109] As described above, the driving assistance device 100 according to this embodiment detects obstacles in the vehicle's surrounding environment using LiDAR, obtains distance information about the obstacles with high accuracy, and notifies the driver at the appropriate time to encourage him or her to hold the steering wheel, thereby appropriately assisting the driver in driving.

[0110] [First Modification] In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the notification unit T provided in the driving assist device 100 directly notifies the driver DR of the driving assist information. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the notification unit T may notify the driver DR of the driving assist information via a mobile device other than the driving assist device carried by the driver DR.

[0111] Therefore, in this first modified example, an example will be described in which the notification unit T notifies the driver DR of driving assistance information via a portable device separate from the driving assistance device carried by the driver DR. Here, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle to which the driving assistance device according to the first modified example is applied. Note that the portable device P does not necessarily have to be carried by the driver DR, but may be disposed in the vehicle 200 so that the driver DR can recognize the driving assistance information output from the portable device P.

[0112] 7, for example, the notification unit T outputs a notification signal including driving assistance information to a portable device P carried by the driver DR via wireless or wired communication. In response to the notification signal, the portable device P displays attention-calling or warning information based on the driving assistance information, vibrates with a period and / or amplitude based on the driving assistance information, or emits a voice and / or a warning sound.

[0113] The mobile device P is, for example, a wireless communication device such as a smart watch or a smartphone, but may also be another device having similar functions.

[0114] By recognizing the driving assistance information output from the mobile device P, the driver DR can appropriately drive along the driving path R in the surrounding environment Z by holding and operating the steering wheel S based on the driving assistance information.

[0115] Other configurations and functions of the driving assist device 100 according to this first modification are the same as those of the driving assist device 100 according to the previously described embodiment. That is, according to this first modification, an obstacle in the environment surrounding the vehicle is detected by LiDAR, distance information about the obstacle is obtained with high accuracy, and a notification is sent to the driver at an appropriate time to urge the driver to hold the steering wheel, thereby appropriately assisting the driver in driving.

[0116] [Second Modification] In the above-described embodiment, the driving control unit CON of the driving assist device 100 controls the driving assistance information output from the notification unit T based on the measured distance L and the distance WA between obstacles. However, the driving control unit CON may also control the driving assistance information output from the notification unit T based on the altitude HA from the road R to an obstacle located above the road R instead of the measured distance L and the distance WA.

[0117] Therefore, in this second modified example, an example will be described in which the driving control unit CON controls the driving assistance information output from the notification unit T based on the measured distance L and altitude HA. Note that the configuration of the driving assistance device 100 according to this second modified example is similar to the configuration of the driving assistance device 100 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1B described above.

[0118] Here, Fig. 8 is a side view of the vehicle according to the second modified example, and Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of point cloud data measured by the LiDAR unit of the driving assistance device according to the second modified example.

[0119] As described above, the driving control unit CON acquires a measured distance L that measures the distance between the vehicle 200 and the obstacle OB based on the measurement information output by the LiDAR unit K, and instead of the interval value WA, it may acquire the altitude HA from the driving path R in the surrounding environment Z to the obstacle located above the driving path R, as shown in Figure 9.

[0120] The driving control unit CON may then control the driving assistance information to be output from the notification unit T based on the measured distance L and altitude HA.

[0121] Here, Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of the control method for the driving assist device according to the second modified example. The flow of the control method for the driving assist device according to the second modified example shown in Fig. 10 is the same as the control flow shown in Fig. 6, except for steps S5X to S8X. Below, the flow of the control method for the driving assist device according to the second modified example will be described, focusing on steps S5X to S8X.

[0122] For example, as shown in FIG. 10, if the driving control unit CON determines in step S4 that the measured distance L is less than the judgment reference distance LB, it compares the altitude HA with a first judgment reference altitude Hth1 that is higher than the preset height H1 of the vehicle 200 (FIG. 8) (step S5X).

[0123] In addition, after executing the map mode in step S13, the driving control unit CON may compare the altitude HA between obstacles present in the surrounding environment with a first judgment reference altitude Hth1 that is higher than the preset height H1 of the vehicle 200 based on the position information (step S5X).

[0124] If the driving control unit CON determines in step S5X that the altitude HA is less than the first judgment reference altitude Hth1, it compares the altitude HA with a predetermined second judgment reference altitude Hth2 that is lower than the first judgment reference altitude Hth1 (step S6X).

[0125] If the driving control unit CON determines in step S6X that the altitude HA is less than the second judgment standard altitude Hth2, it causes the notification unit T to output driving assistance information warning that the vehicle 200 cannot pass under the obstacle OBd and / or urging the driver DR to hold the steering wheel S (step S7X).

[0126] On the other hand, if the driving control unit CON determines in step S6X that the altitude HA is equal to or greater than the second judgment standard altitude Hth2, it determines whether the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not firmly gripping the steering wheel S based on the grip judgment information acquired by the grip judgment unit N (step S8X).

[0127] If the driving control unit CON determines in step S8X that the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not gripping the steering wheel S firmly, it causes the notification unit T to output driving assistance information to alert the driver DR to grip the steering wheel S firmly (step S9).

[0128] Then, when the driving control unit CON determines in the above-mentioned step S5X that the altitude HA is equal to or higher than the first determination reference altitude Hth1, it transitions the operation mode to the above-mentioned normal mode (step S11).

[0129] Other control flows of the driving assist device 100 according to the second modified example are the same as those of the driving assist device 100 according to the previously described embodiment. That is, the driver DR can recognize the driving assistance information output from the notification unit T, and by gripping and operating the steering wheel S based on the driving assistance information, the driver DR can appropriately drive on the road in the surrounding environment Z.

[0130] The other configurations and functions of the driving assist device 100 according to the second modified example are the same as those of the driving assist device 100 according to the previously described embodiment. That is, according to the second modified example, an obstacle in the environment surrounding the vehicle is detected by LiDAR, distance information about the obstacle is obtained with high accuracy, and a notification is sent to the driver at an appropriate time to urge the driver to hold the steering wheel, thereby appropriately assisting the driver in driving.

[0131] [Third Modification] In the above-described embodiment, the driving control unit CON of the driving assist device 100 controls the driving assistance information output from the notification unit T based on the measured distance L and the interval value WA between obstacles. However, the driving control unit CON may also control the driving assistance information output from the notification unit T based on the measured distance L, the interval value WA, and further the altitude HA from the road R to an obstacle located above the road R.

[0132] Therefore, in this third modified example, an example will be described in which the driving control unit CON controls the driving assistance information output from the notification unit T based on the measured distance L, the interval value WA, and the altitude HA. Note that the configuration of the driving assistance device 100 according to this third modified example is similar to the configuration of the driving assistance device 100 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1B described above.

[0133] Here, Fig. 11A is a view of the vehicle according to the third modified example seen from above, Fig. 11B is a view of the vehicle according to the third modified example seen from the side, and Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of point cloud data measured by a LiDAR unit of the driving assist device according to the third modified example.

[0134] As described above, the driving control unit CON may acquire a measured distance L that measures the distance between the vehicle 200 and the obstacle OB based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit K, acquire a spacing value WA of the distance between adjacent obstacles OBc and OBb, and further acquire an altitude HA from the driving path R in the surrounding environment Z to the obstacle OBd located above the driving path R.

[0135] The driving control unit CON may then control the driving assistance information to be output from the notification unit T based on the measured distance L, the interval value WA, and the altitude HA.

[0136] Here, Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of the control method for the driving assist device according to the third modified example. The flow of the control method for the driving assist device according to the third modified example shown in Fig. 13 is the same as the control flow shown in Fig. 6, except for steps S5Y to S8Y. Below, the flow of the control method for the driving assist device according to the third modified example will be described, focusing on steps S5X to S8Y.

[0137] For example, as shown in FIG. 13, when the driving control unit CON determines that the measured distance L is less than the judgment reference distance LB, it compares the altitude HA with a first judgment reference altitude Hth1 that is higher than the preset height H1 of the vehicle 200 (FIG. 11B), and compares the interval value WA with a first judgment reference interval value Wth1 that is greater than the preset width W of the vehicle 200 (FIG. 11A) (step S5Y).

[0138] In addition, after executing the map mode in step S13, the driving control unit CON may compare the altitude HA between obstacles present in the surrounding environment with a first judgment standard altitude Hth1 that is higher than the predetermined height H1 of the vehicle 200 based on the position information, and may also compare the interval value WA with the first judgment standard interval value Wth1 (step S5X).

[0139] If the driving control unit CON determines in step S5Y that the altitude HA is less than the first judgment reference altitude Hth1 or the interval value WA is less than the first judgment reference interval value Wth1, it compares the altitude HA with a predetermined second judgment reference altitude Hth2 that is smaller than the first judgment reference altitude Hth1, or compares the interval value WA with a predetermined second judgment reference interval value Wth2 that is smaller than the first judgment reference interval value Wth1 (step S6Y).

[0140] Then, if the driving control unit CON determines in step S6Y that the altitude HA is less than the second judgment standard altitude Hth2 or the interval value WA is less than the second judgment standard interval value Wth2, it causes the notification unit T to output driving assistance information, for example, a warning that the vehicle 200 cannot pass through the driving path R between obstacles OBc and OBb or the driving path below obstacle OBd, and / or a warning that the driver DR should hold the steering wheel S (step S7Y).

[0141] On the other hand, in the aforementioned step S6Y, if the driving control unit CON determines that the altitude HA is equal to or greater than the second judgment standard altitude Hth2 and the interval value WA is equal to or greater than the second judgment standard interval value Wth2, it determines whether the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not firmly gripping the steering wheel S based on the grip judgment information acquired by the grip judgment unit N (step S8Y).

[0142] Then, if the driving control unit CON determines that the driver DR is not gripping the steering wheel S or is not gripping the steering wheel S firmly, it causes the notification unit T to output driving assistance information, for example, to alert the driver DR to grip the steering wheel S firmly (step S9).

[0143] Then, if the driving control unit CON determines in the above-mentioned step S5Y that the altitude HA is equal to or greater than the second judgment standard altitude Hth2 and the interval value WA is equal to or greater than the second judgment standard interval value Wth2, it transitions the operating mode to the above-mentioned normal mode (step S11).

[0144] Other control flows of the driving assist device 100 according to the third modified example are the same as those of the driving assist device 100 according to the previously described embodiment. That is, the driver DR can recognize the driving assist information output from the notification unit T and grip and operate the steering wheel S based on the driving assist information, thereby appropriately driving on the road in the surrounding environment Z.

[0145] The other configurations and functions of the driving assist device 100 according to this third modification are the same as those of the driving assist device 100 according to the previously described embodiment. That is, according to this third modification, obstacles in the environment surrounding the vehicle are detected by LiDAR, distance information about the obstacles is obtained with high accuracy, and a notification is sent to the driver at an appropriate time to urge the driver to hold the steering wheel, thereby appropriately assisting the driver in driving.

[0146] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0147] 100 Driving assistance device 200 vehicles DR Driver S steering Z Surrounding environment M storage section K LiDAR section CON Operation control unit T Notification section OBa Obstacles OBb Obstacle OBc Obstacle

Claims

1. A driving assist device that assists a driver in driving a vehicle, a grip determination unit that detects a state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel of the vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result; a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) unit that irradiates a laser beam onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle and acquires measurement information about the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle; a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information for assisting the driver in driving the vehicle; a driving control unit that controls the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit. A driving assistance device characterized by:

2. The notification unit displays attention-calling or warning information corresponding to the driving assistance information, vibrates at a period and / or amplitude based on the driving assistance information, or emits voice and / or warning sound.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1.

3. The notification unit notifies the driver by transmitting the driving assistance information to the driver tactilely by vibrating the steering wheel.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1.

4. The notification unit outputs a notification signal including the driving assistance information to a mobile device connected to the notification unit via wireless communication or wired communication, In response to the notification signal, the portable device displays attention-calling or warning information based on the driving assistance information, vibrates with a period and / or amplitude based on the driving assistance information, or emits a voice and / or a warning sound.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1.

5. In the detection mode, the operation control unit acquiring a measured distance between the vehicle and the obstacle based on the measurement information, and acquiring a distance value between adjacent obstacles; The driving assistance information output from the notification unit is controlled based on the measured distance and the interval value.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1.

6. The operation control unit The measured distance is compared with a predetermined reference distance, and when it is determined that the measured distance is less than the reference distance, the driving assistance information output from the notification unit is controlled based on the interval value.

6. The driving assistance device according to claim 5.

7. The operation control unit If it is determined that the measured distance is less than the reference distance, the distance value is compared with a first reference distance value that is greater than a preset width of the vehicle; If it is determined that the interval value is less than the first reference interval value, the interval value is compared with a second reference interval value that is set in advance and is smaller than the first reference interval value; When it is determined that the distance value is less than the second determination reference distance value, the notification unit outputs the driving assistance information to warn that the vehicle cannot pass between the obstacles and / or to alert the driver to grip the steering wheel.

7. The driving assistance device according to claim 6.

8. The operation control unit When it is determined that the distance value is equal to or greater than the first determination reference distance value, the grip determination unit N determines whether the driver is not gripping the steering wheel or is not firmly gripping the steering wheel based on the grip determination information acquired, When it is determined that the driver is not gripping the steering wheel or is not gripping the steering wheel firmly, the notification unit outputs the driving assistance information to alert the driver to grip the steering wheel firmly.

8. The driving assistance device according to claim 7.

9. The operation control unit After causing the notification unit to output the driving assistance information to call the driver's attention, determining whether the vehicle has passed between the obstacles based on the measurement information; When it is determined that the vehicle is not passing between the obstacles, the driving assistance information to call attention is output from the notification unit.

9. The driving assistance device according to claim 8.

10. 2. The driving assist device according to claim 1, wherein the grip determination unit is a hands-off detection (HoD) device that detects a state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel by using a capacitance sensor provided on the steering wheel to detect a change in capacitance of an area of ​​the steering wheel that is gripped by the driver.

11. The grip determination unit compares the HoD capacitance sense level detected by the capacitance sensor provided on the steering wheel with a preset capacitance threshold, and acquires the grip determination information based on the comparison result.

11. The driving assistance device according to claim 10.

12. The operation control unit Execute a normal mode in which the LiDAR unit and the grip determination unit are operated; In the normal mode, based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit, it is determined whether an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle has been detected within a mode switching reference distance that is longer than the determination reference distance; When the obstacle is detected within the mode switching reference distance, the normal mode is switched to the detection mode.

8. The driving assistance device according to claim 7.

13. The mode switching reference distance is set to a range in which the LiDAR unit can measure obstacles present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

13. The driving assistance device according to claim 12.

14. The operation control unit If the obstacle is not detected within the mode switching reference distance, determine whether the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit is reduced due to an obstacle caused by the surrounding environment; When it is determined that the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit is reduced due to the surrounding environment, a map mode is executed; In the map mode, a map corresponding to the surrounding environment is read out, and position information relating to the position of the vehicle in the surrounding environment and the positions of obstacles present in the surrounding environment is obtained based on the map.

13. The driving assistance device according to claim 12.

15. The operation control unit After executing the map mode, a distance value between obstacles present in the surrounding environment is compared with the first determination reference distance value based on the position information; When it is determined that the distance value is equal to or greater than the first determination reference distance value, the grip determination unit determines whether the driver is not gripping the steering wheel or is not firmly gripping the steering wheel based on the grip determination information acquired, When it is determined that the driver is not gripping the steering wheel or is not gripping the steering wheel firmly, the notification unit outputs the driving assistance information to alert the driver to grip the steering wheel firmly.

15. The driving assistance device according to claim 14.

16. The obstacle caused by the surrounding environment that reduces the measurement accuracy of the LiDAR unit is weather in the surrounding environment, including rain or fog.

15. The driving assistance device according to claim 14.

17. The operation control unit acquiring a measured distance L that measures the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle based on the measurement information, and acquiring an altitude from a traveling path in the surrounding environment to the obstacle located above the traveling path; The driving assistance information output from the notification unit is controlled based on the measured distance and the altitude.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1.

18. The operation control unit Based on the measurement information, a measured distance is acquired that measures the distance between the vehicle and the obstacle, an interval value is acquired that is an interval between adjacent obstacles, and an altitude from a roadway in the surrounding environment to the obstacle located above the roadway is acquired. The driving assistance information output from the notification unit is controlled based on the measured distance, the interval value, and the altitude.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1.

19. The operation control unit further includes a storage unit for storing information for executing a predetermined process, 15. The driving assist device according to claim 14, wherein the driving control unit reads out the map from the storage unit in the map mode.

20. The measurement information includes point cloud data including distance information related to the obstacle acquired by the LiDAR unit, In the normal mode, the driving control unit compares the point cloud data acquired at multiple times by the LiDAR unit to confirm in advance that the data is not a ghost of the obstacle in order to avoid false detection / ghost of the obstacle.

13. The driving assistance device according to claim 12.

21. A control method for a driving assist device that assists a driver in driving a vehicle, comprising: The driving assist device includes a grip determination unit that detects a state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel of the vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result, a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) unit that irradiates a laser light onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle and acquires measurement information related to the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle, a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information to assist in driving the vehicle, and a driving control unit, The driving control unit controls the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit. A control method for a driving assistance device.

22. A program executed by a driving assist device including: a grip determination unit that detects a state in which a driver is gripping the steering wheel of a vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result; a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) unit that irradiates a laser light onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle and acquires measurement information related to the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle; a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information to assist in driving the vehicle; and a driving control unit, A program that causes the computer to execute a process in which the driving control unit controls the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the gripping judgment information acquired by the gripping judgment unit.

23. A vehicle driven by a driver, The steering wheel and a driving assist device that assists the driver in driving the vehicle, The driving assistance device is a grip determination unit that detects a state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel of the vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result; a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) unit that irradiates a laser beam onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle and acquires measurement information about the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle; a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information for assisting the driver in driving the vehicle; a driving control unit that controls the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit. A vehicle characterized by:

24. A method for controlling a driver-operated vehicle, comprising: The vehicle is The steering wheel and a driving assist device that assists the driver in driving the vehicle, The driving assist device includes a grip determination unit that detects a state in which the driver is gripping the steering wheel of the vehicle and acquires grip determination information that determines the detection result, a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) unit that irradiates a laser light onto an obstacle present in the surrounding environment in the traveling direction of the vehicle and acquires measurement information related to the obstacle by detecting reflected light from the obstacle, a notification unit that notifies the driver of driving assistance information to assist in driving the vehicle, and a driving control unit, The driving control unit controls the driving assistance information output by the notification unit based on the measurement information acquired by the LiDAR unit and the grip determination information acquired by the grip determination unit. A vehicle control method comprising:

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