Driving assistance device

Abstract

To reduce the chance of a driver encountering tailgating.SOLUTION: This driving support device is provided with a camera 13 installed in an own vehicle and picking up images of other vehicles around the own vehicle, a detection part detecting an approach degree of the other vehicle picked up by the camera 13 to the own vehicle, and a controller 20 executing processing for generating attention calling information to be provided to a driver of the own vehicle according to the approach degree detected by the detection part. The controller 20 determines, for each of the plurality of other vehicles captured by the camera 13, whether or not the approach degree value indicating the degree of approach is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value and whether or not the frequency at which the degree of approach value is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value, and generates the alert information when the frequency is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device that assists a driver in driving a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants have been gaining momentum. Toward this goal, research and development into preventive safety technologies has been conducted. In particular, aggressive driving has become a social problem as a traffic dispute between vehicles traveling on roads in recent years, and devices designed to address such driving are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a device that issues warning information to the driver when an aggressive vehicle is detected behind the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-160850 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, rather than dealing with aggressive driving when it occurs, as with the device described in Patent Document 1, it is preferable to prevent aggressive driving from occurring in the first place. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A driving assistance device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a camera installed in a host vehicle for capturing images of other vehicles around the host vehicle, a detection unit for detecting the degree of proximity of the other vehicles captured by the camera to the host vehicle, and a processing unit for executing processing to generate attention-calling information to be provided to a driver of the host vehicle in accordance with the degree of proximity detected by the detection unit. The processing unit determines, for each of a plurality of other vehicles captured by the camera, whether a proximity degree value indicating the degree of proximity is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value and whether the frequency at which the proximity degree value is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value, and generates the attention-calling information when the frequency is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, the chances that a driver will encounter aggressive driving can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a driving scene of a vehicle having a driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the calculation unit of FIG. 2; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a driving scene of a vehicle 101 (referred to as the host vehicle) having a driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example of FIG. 1, the host vehicle 101 is traveling on a road RD with three lanes in each direction and a center divider 200 on the right side, as indicated by the arrows. The multiple lanes are referred to as a first lane LN1, a second lane LN2, and a third lane LN3, in order from the left. In FIG. 1, the host vehicle 101 is traveling on the second lane LN2. Of the multiple lanes L1, L2, and L3, the lane LN3 located on the far right (on the oncoming lane side) is an overtaking lane, and the lanes LN1 and LN2 other than the overtaking lane are driving lanes. The road RD in FIG. 1 is, for example, an expressway. The road RD may be a general road or other road other than an expressway.

[0009] As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of vehicles 102 (referred to as "other vehicles") are traveling on the road RD around the host vehicle. In such a situation, if the speed of the host vehicle 101 is slower than the speed of the other vehicles 102, or if the acceleration of the host vehicle 101 is smaller than the acceleration of the other vehicles 102, the driver of the host vehicle 101 may be subject to tailgating by the driver of the following vehicle. Tailgating is driving in which the following vehicle tailgates the vehicle ahead, for example, by closing the distance between the vehicles too closely, snaking, honking the horn, or flashing its lights. If the driver of the host vehicle 101 is subject to tailgating, it becomes difficult for the driver to drive in a calm state of mind, and there is a risk of the driver making an error in driving operations.

[0010] In other words, if the driver drives in a way that avoids aggressive driving, the possibility of being aggressively driven by the driver of the following vehicle decreases, and the driver can drive in a calm mental state. Therefore, in this embodiment, the driving assistance device is configured as follows to enable the driver to drive in a way that avoids aggressive driving.

[0011] 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a driving assistance device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The driving assistance device 10 is configured by, for example, a drive recorder mounted on the vehicle 101. The drive recorder is an in-vehicle camera device that records camera images captured by an in-vehicle camera when a predetermined condition is met, such as when the vehicle 101 is subjected to an impact. The drive recorder may have all or some of the functions of the driving assistance device 10. The drive recorder is installed, for example, above the windshield.

[0012] 2, the driving assistance device 10 includes a positioning sensor 11, a sensor group 12, a camera 13, a communication unit 14, a monitor 15, and a controller 20. The positioning sensor 11, the sensor group 12, the camera 13, the communication unit 14, and the monitor 15 are each communicatively connected to the controller 20.

[0013] The positioning sensor 11 receives positioning signals transmitted from positioning satellites. The positioning satellites are artificial satellites such as GPS satellites and quasi-zenith satellites, and the current position (latitude, longitude, altitude) of the vehicle 101 can be detected using the positioning information received from the positioning satellites by the positioning sensor 11. Therefore, the positioning sensor 11 functions as a position detection unit that detects the position of the vehicle 101. The positioning sensor 11 may be built into the drive recorder or may be provided separately from the drive recorder.

[0014] The sensor group 12 is a collective term for a plurality of sensors that detect the traveling state of the host vehicle 101. The sensor group 12 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle 101 and an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration acting on the host vehicle 101. All of the sensor group 12 may be built into the drive recorder, or all or part of the sensor group 12 (for example, the vehicle speed sensor) may be provided separately from the drive recorder. The vehicle speed may be detected based on a signal from the positioning sensor 11 instead of the vehicle speed sensor. The sensor group 12 may also include a distance detector that detects the distance from the host vehicle 101 to an object (such as another vehicle 102) around the host vehicle 101.

[0015] The camera 13 is a CCD camera or a CMOS camera having an image sensor such as a CCD or a CMOS. The camera 13 is installed above the windshield and continuously captures images of the surroundings of the host vehicle 101 to acquire the images (video). The camera 13 is, for example, an omnidirectional camera that captures images in all directions in front of, behind, and to the sides of the host vehicle 101. The camera 13 may be configured with multiple cameras (front cameras, rear cameras) that capture images in front of and behind the host vehicle 101. The camera 13 is included in a drive recorder. The camera 13 may be provided separately from the drive recorder.

[0016] The communication unit 14 communicates with a server device (not shown) via a network. This allows the communication unit 14 to acquire various types of information from the server device. For example, map information of the road on which the vehicle 101 is traveling can be acquired. The acquired map information includes geographical information such as addresses, information on road types such as general roads and expressways, and information on the maximum speed of the road. The communication unit 14 may be configured to be able to communicate with other vehicles 102, and the communication unit 14 may acquire position information, vehicle speed, and acceleration information of the other vehicles 102 via the communication unit 14.

[0017] The monitor 15 is configured to display the attention alert information generated by the driving assistance device 10. The monitor 15 can be provided separately from the drive recorder. For example, an instrument panel in front of the driver's seat can be configured as the monitor 15 of the driving assistance device 10. A monitor included in a navigation unit can also be configured as the monitor 15 of the driving assistance device 10. When the attention alert information is displayed on the monitor 15, the driver can easily recognize that the attention alert information has been issued.

[0018] The controller 20 is an electronic control unit including a computer having a calculation unit 20A such as a CUP, a storage unit 20B such as a ROM and a RAM, and other peripheral circuits such as an I / O interface. The calculation unit 20A mainly functions as a calculation unit 21, a determination unit 22, a generation unit 23, and an output unit 24.

[0019] The storage unit 20B includes a temporary storage memory such as a ring buffer built into the drive recorder, and a non-volatile memory. The temporary storage memory temporarily stores images captured by the camera 13. When a predetermined impact is applied to the host vehicle 101, the non-volatile memory reads out and stores images from the temporary storage memory for a predetermined period of time before and after the impact. The non-volatile memory may also be configured with a storage medium detachably provided in the drive recorder. The storage unit 20B further stores information indicating that the driver has performed a predetermined driving operation (for example, information indicating that sudden deceleration, sudden acceleration, abrupt steering, etc.)

[0020] The calculation unit 21 calculates the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101 based on an image from the camera 13. Specifically, the calculation unit 21 first detects the inter-vehicle distance from the host vehicle 101 to the other vehicle 102 based on the camera image. The calculation unit 21 calculates the change in this inter-vehicle distance per unit time, and calculates the relative vehicle speed of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101. Furthermore, the calculation unit 21 calculates the change in the relative vehicle speed per unit time, and calculates the relative acceleration of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101. Hereinafter, the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration may be collectively referred to as relative values.

[0021] In this way, the calculation unit 21, together with the camera 13, functions as a detection unit (referred to as a relative value detection unit) that detects the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101. Instead of detecting the inter-vehicle distance using a camera image, the inter-vehicle distance may be detected using a distance detector (radar, lidar, etc.) included in the sensor group 12. Information indicating the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101, detected by the relative value detection unit within a predetermined time from the current time, is stored in the memory unit 20B.

[0022] The calculation unit 21 may read the vehicle speed and acceleration of the host vehicle 101 detected by the sensor group 12 (vehicle speed sensor, acceleration sensor, distance measuring device, etc.) and the vehicle speed and acceleration of the other vehicle 102, and calculate the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration by subtracting the vehicle speed and acceleration of the host vehicle 101 from the vehicle speed and acceleration of the other vehicle 102. The calculation unit 21 may read the vehicle speed and acceleration of the host vehicle 101 detected by the sensor group 12 (vehicle speed sensor, acceleration sensor) and the vehicle speed and acceleration of the other vehicle 102 acquired via the communication unit 14, and calculate the difference between them to calculate the relative value.

[0023] The determination unit 22 determines whether the relative value A (relative vehicle speed, relative acceleration) calculated by the calculation unit 21 is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value A1 for each of the multiple other vehicles 102 captured by the camera 13. This determination is to determine whether the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 101 is slower and whether the acceleration is smaller than the other vehicles 102 by a predetermined amount or more. The first predetermined value A1 is set for each of the vehicle speed and acceleration. The determination result is stored in the memory unit 20B for a predetermined period of time.

[0024] Furthermore, the determination unit 22 calculates the frequency B at which the relative value A is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value A1 using the determination results for a predetermined time period stored in the memory unit 20B. For example, if N1 other vehicles 102 are detected (imaged) by the camera 13 around the host vehicle 101 within a predetermined time period and A≧A1 is satisfied for N2 of the other vehicles 102, the frequency B is N2 / N1. The determination unit 22 determines whether this frequency B is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value B1. This determination is a determination of whether the driver of the host vehicle 101 is driving in a manner that disrupts the traffic flow of the surrounding other vehicles 102 (referred to as cautionary driving), and the second predetermined value B1 is set to a value at least greater than 0.5, for example, in the range of 0.85 to 0.95. When B≧B1, the determination unit 22 determines that the driver of the host vehicle 101 is driving in a manner that disrupts the traffic flow of the surrounding other vehicles 102 (referred to as cautionary driving).

[0025] The first predetermined value A1 and the second predetermined value B1 are predetermined judgment reference values. The judgment reference values ​​may be fixed values, or the judgment unit 22 may set the judgment reference values ​​according to the position of the vehicle 101 detected by the positioning sensor 11. For example, the judgment unit 22 may set the judgment reference value (at least one of the first predetermined value A1 and the second predetermined value B1) according to the geographical location (e.g., address) of the vehicle 101. That is, since the driving manners of drivers may differ depending on the administrative district such as a prefecture or a city, town, or village, the judgment reference value may be set taking this into consideration. For example, the judgment reference value may be set to a smaller value in administrative district A than in administrative district B, making it easier to determine that the vehicle is engaging in cautionary driving. The judgment unit 22 may identify the shape of the road on which the vehicle 101 is located (slope, curve, etc.) based on map information acquired via the communication unit 14, and set the judgment reference value according to the shape of the road.

[0026] The determination unit 22 may set the determination reference value according to the type of road RD on which the vehicle 101 is traveling. For example, the type of road on which the vehicle 101 is traveling may be identified based on map information, and the determination reference value may be set to a smaller value when the vehicle 101 is traveling on an expressway than when the vehicle 101 is traveling on a road other than an expressway. The determination reference value may be set to a smaller value as the number of lanes increases or decreases.

[0027] The determination unit 22 may identify the maximum speed of the road on which the vehicle 101 is traveling based on map information, and set the determination reference value based on the maximum speed. For example, the determination reference value may be set to a smaller value as the maximum speed increases. The determination unit 22 may also identify the maximum speed of the road by recognizing speed signs on the road based on camera images.

[0028] When the determination unit 22 determines that the frequency B at which the relative value A (relative vehicle speed, relative acceleration) of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101 becomes equal to or greater than the first predetermined value A1 is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value B1, the generation unit 23 generates attention alert information according to the traveling state of the host vehicle 101. For example, when the determination unit 22 determines that the frequency B is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value B1 while the host vehicle 101 is traveling in the second lane LN2 as shown in FIG. 1 , attention alert information is generated that recommends traveling in the first lane LN1, that is, that urges the host vehicle 101 to change lanes to the first lane LN1. When the vehicle speed is lower than the maximum speed by a predetermined value or more, attention alert information that urges the host vehicle 101 to increase its speed may be generated.

[0029] The output unit 24 outputs a control signal to the monitor 15 so that the attention-calling information generated by the generation unit 23 is displayed on the monitor 15. As a result, a predetermined image indicating the attention-calling information is displayed on the monitor 15. For example, a message such as "We recommend that you drive in the left lane" is displayed.

[0030] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the calculation unit 20A. The processing shown in this flowchart is started, for example, every time another vehicle 102 is detected by the camera 13. First, in step S1, the calculation unit 20A reads signals from the positioning sensor 11, the sensor group 12, and the camera 13, and also reads signals acquired via the communication unit 14.

[0031] Next, in step S2, the calculation unit 20A calculates the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101, i.e., the relative value A, based on the signal read in step S1. The calculation unit 20A calculates the relative value A for each of the multiple other vehicles 102 detected by the camera 13. Note that the calculation of the relative value A may be performed using either the relative vehicle speed or the relative acceleration, rather than both of them.

[0032] Next, in step S3, calculation unit 20A determines whether relative value A calculated in step S2 is equal to or greater than first predetermined value A1. Next, in step S4, calculation unit 20A temporarily stores the determination result of step S3 in memory unit 20B.

[0033] Next, in step S5, calculation unit 20A determines whether or not the frequency B at which relative value A is equal to or greater than first predetermined value A1 is equal to or greater than second predetermined value B1, based on the determination results (the determination results executed each time another vehicle 102 is detected and stored in step S4) stored in storage unit 20B from the current time until a predetermined time T1 (e.g., 10 minutes) ago. Note that before the predetermined time T1 has elapsed since the start of the processing in FIG. 3, a sufficient amount of data for making the determination in step S5 has not been stored in storage unit 20B. Therefore, the processing in step S5 is executed after the predetermined time T1 has elapsed since the start of the processing.

[0034] If the result in step S5 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S6, and if the result is negative, the process ends. In step S6, the calculation unit 20A generates attention-calling information according to the traveling state of the host vehicle 101. Next, in step S7, the calculation unit 20A outputs a control signal to the monitor 15 so that the attention-calling information is displayed on the monitor 15, and the process ends.

[0035] The operation of this embodiment can be summarized as follows: When the host vehicle 101 is traveling in the second lane LN2 in Fig. 1, if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 101 is slower than the vehicle speed of the surrounding other vehicle 102 and the frequency B at which the relative value A is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value A1 is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value B1, the host vehicle 101 may disrupt the surrounding traffic flow and the driver may be subjected to aggressive driving. In this case, attention-calling information urging the driver to change lanes to the first lane LN1, for example, is generated and displayed on the monitor 15 (steps S5 to S7).

[0036] Vehicles driven by drivers prone to aggressive driving often travel in lanes other than the leftmost lane (the second lane LN2 and the third lane LN3 in the example of FIG. 1). Therefore, if the driver follows the display on the monitor 15 and changes lanes of the vehicle 101 to the first lane LN1, the driver can prevent being aggressively driven by the other vehicle 102. This reduces the chances that the driver will encounter aggressive driving, allowing the driver to drive calmly.

[0037] According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved. (1) The driving assistance device 10 includes a camera 13 installed on the host vehicle 101 for capturing images of other vehicles 102 around the host vehicle 101, a relative value detection unit that detects the proximity of the other vehicles 102 captured by the camera 13 to the host vehicle 101, i.e., the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration (relative value A) of the other vehicles 102 to the host vehicle 101, and a controller 20 that executes processing to generate attention-calling information to be provided to the driver of the host vehicle 101 in accordance with the relative value A detected by the relative value detection unit (FIG. 2). The controller 20 determines, for each of the multiple other vehicles 102 captured by the camera 13, whether the relative value A is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value A1 and whether the frequency B at which the relative value A is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value A1 is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value B1, and generates the attention-calling information when the frequency B is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value B1 (FIG. 3).

[0038] As a result, the attention-calling information is provided via the monitor 15 to the driver of the host vehicle 101, whose vehicle speed or acceleration is slower than that of the surrounding other vehicles 102. This causes the driver to drive the host vehicle 101 in accordance with the attention-calling information. As a result, the host vehicle 101 will change lanes, for example, to the first lane LN1 on the left, thereby preventing aggressive driving.

[0039] (2) The relative value detection unit has a sensor group 12 (vehicle speed sensor, acceleration sensor) that detects the vehicle speed and acceleration of the host vehicle 101, and a detection unit (such as a distance detector, camera 13, and communication unit 14 included in the sensor group 12) that detects the vehicle speed and acceleration of the other vehicle 102, and is configured to determine the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101 based on the detection results (FIG. 2). The controller 20 executes a process for generating attention alert information using the detected relative value A (relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration) (FIG. 3). By detecting the vehicle speeds and accelerations of the host vehicle 101 and the other vehicle 102 in this way, it is possible to simultaneously determine how much slower the host vehicle 101 is than the maximum speed limit for the road, whether the other vehicle 102 is traveling within the maximum speed limit, and the like, and thus it is possible to generate attention alert information effectively.

[0040] (3) The controller 20 can set at least one of the first predetermined value A1 and the second predetermined value B1 in accordance with the geographical position of the vehicle 101 detected by the positioning sensor 11. This makes it possible to generate appropriate warning information corresponding to the administrative district.

[0041] (4) The controller 20 can set at least one of the first predetermined value A1 and the second predetermined value B1 according to the type of road RD on which the vehicle 101 is traveling. This makes it possible to generate appropriate warning information that corresponds to the type of road, such as an expressway or an ordinary road.

[0042] (5) The controller 20 sets at least one of the first predetermined value A1 and the second predetermined value B1 based on information about the maximum speed of the road RD on which the vehicle 101 is traveling. This makes it possible to generate appropriate attention-drawing information according to the maximum speed.

[0043] (6) When the vehicle 101 is traveling on a road RD including multiple lanes LN1, LN2, and LN3 with different average vehicle speeds, the warning information includes information recommending that the vehicle 101 travel in the first lane LN1, which has a slower average vehicle speed (FIG. 1). This effectively reduces the possibility that the driver will be subjected to aggressive driving.

[0044] (7) The driving assistance device 10 is configured by a drive recorder. This allows the driving assistance device 10 to be easily applied to various vehicles. The driving assistance device 10 can also be configured inexpensively.

[0045] Incidentally, not only when the vehicle speed or acceleration of the host vehicle 101 is slower or lower than that of the other vehicle 102, but also when the degree of change in the vehicle speed (acceleration / deceleration) of the host vehicle 101 is large, the traffic flow of the other vehicle 102 is disrupted, and the host vehicle 101 is more likely to be subjected to aggressive driving. Therefore, the determination unit 22 may determine such driving as driving requiring caution. For example, the determination unit 22 in FIG. 2 may determine whether the degree C of change in the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 101 is equal to or greater than a third predetermined value C1, and may determine that the driver of the host vehicle 101 is engaging in driving requiring caution when C≧C1. When the degree C of change in vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the third predetermined value C1, this includes both a case where the magnitude of acceleration / deceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined value and a case where the frequency of change in acceleration / deceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0046] 2 generates attention-calling information according to the traveling state of the vehicle 101 not only when it is determined that the frequency B at which the relative value A is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value A1 is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value B1, but also when it is determined that the degree of change C in the vehicle speed of the vehicle 101 is equal to or greater than the third predetermined value C1. For example, attention-calling information that encourages driving to reduce the degree of acceleration / deceleration is generated.

[0047] In this way, the controller 20 further determines whether the degree C of change in vehicle speed of the host vehicle 101 is equal to or greater than the third predetermined value C1 based on the detection results of the sensor group 12, and generates warning information when it is determined that the degree C of change in vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the third predetermined value C1. This makes it possible to generate warning information for the driver of the host vehicle 101 not only when the vehicle speed is slower than the other vehicle 102, but also when the degree C of acceleration / deceleration is large, thereby preventing aggressive driving.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the calculation unit 21 calculates the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101 as the relative value A. However, the calculation unit 21 may calculate the relative vehicle speed or the relative acceleration. That is, the calculation unit 21 may calculate at least one of the relative vehicle speed and the relative acceleration as the relative value A, and the determination unit 22 may determine whether the relative value A is larger or smaller than the first predetermined value A1. In the above embodiment, whether the frequency B at which the relative value A is larger or smaller than the first predetermined value A1 is larger or smaller than the second predetermined value B1 is determined based on the result of determining whether the relative value A is larger or smaller than the first predetermined value A1 stored in the storage unit 20B from the present time until the predetermined time T1 ago. However, whether the frequency B is larger or smaller than the second predetermined value B1 may be determined based on the result of determining whether the relative value A is larger or smaller than the first predetermined value A1 stored in the storage unit 20B before the host vehicle 101 travels the predetermined distance.

[0049] The relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101 are parameters indicating the degree of proximity of the other vehicle 102 with respect to the host vehicle 101. A value indicating the degree of proximity (proximity value) can be detected based on a camera image. Therefore, the driving assistance device 10 may be configured to include a detection unit (e.g., the camera 13) that detects the degree of proximity, and the controller 20 (processing unit) generates attention-calling information in accordance with the degree of proximity. The degree of proximity may be something other than the relative vehicle speed and relative acceleration, and therefore the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value are not limited to those described above. When generating attention-calling information in accordance with the degree of proximity, the processing unit may be configured to determine, for each of the multiple other vehicles 102 captured by the camera 13, whether the proximity value is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value and whether the frequency at which the proximity value is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value, and to generate attention-calling information when the frequency is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the sensor group 12 (vehicle speed sensor and acceleration sensor) detects the speed and acceleration of the host vehicle 101, but the configuration of the first detection unit is not limited to that described above. The first detection unit may detect the speed or acceleration of the host vehicle 101. In the above embodiment, the speed and acceleration of the other vehicle 102 are detected based on a camera image, a signal from a distance detector included in the sensor group 12, or information acquired via the communication unit 14, but the configuration of the second detection unit is not limited to that described above. The first detection unit and the second detection unit may be omitted, and instead a detection unit (e.g., camera 13) that detects the proximity of the other vehicle 102 to the host vehicle 101 may be provided.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the central and central air ventilation information generated by the generating unit 23 is notified to the driver via the monitor 15, but it may be notified to the driver via another device. For example, it may be notified to the driver via a speaker.

[0052] The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and modifications as long as the features of the present invention are not impaired. One or more of the above-described embodiment and modifications can be arbitrarily combined, and modifications can also be combined with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 10 driving assistance device, 11 positioning sensor, 12 sensor group, 13 camera, 14 communication unit, 20 controller, 21 calculation unit, 22 determination unit, 23 generation unit, 101 host vehicle, 102 other vehicle, A1 first predetermined value, B1 second predetermined value, C1 third predetermined value

Claims

1. a camera installed on the host vehicle for capturing images of other vehicles around the host vehicle; a detection unit that detects a degree of proximity of the other vehicle captured by the camera to the host vehicle; a processing unit that executes a process of generating attention-calling information to be provided to a driver of the host vehicle in accordance with the degree of proximity detected by the detection unit, The processing unit determines, for each of the multiple other vehicles imaged by the camera, whether a proximity degree value indicating the degree of proximity is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value, and whether the frequency at which the proximity degree value is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value is equal to or greater than a second predetermined value, and generates the warning information when the frequency is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, the detection unit has a first detection unit that detects a vehicle speed and / or an acceleration of the host vehicle and a second detection unit that detects a vehicle speed and / or an acceleration of the other vehicle, and is configured to determine a relative vehicle speed and / or a relative acceleration of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle as the degree of proximity based on detection results of the first detection unit and the second detection unit; The processing unit executes a process of generating the attention-calling information using the relative vehicle speed and / or relative acceleration detected by the detection unit.

3. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2, The driving assistance device is characterized in that the processing unit sets at least one of the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value depending on the geographical position of the host vehicle.

4. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2, The driving assistance device is characterized in that the processing unit sets at least one of the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value depending on the type of road on which the host vehicle is traveling.

5. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2, The driving assistance device is characterized in that the processing unit sets at least one of the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value based on information about a maximum speed of a road on which the host vehicle is traveling.

6. The driving assistance device according to claim 2, The processing unit further determining whether or not the degree of change in the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is equal to or greater than a third predetermined value based on the detection result by the first detection unit; A driving assistance device, characterized in that, when it is determined that the degree of change in the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than the third predetermined value, the driving assistance device generates the attention-calling information.

7. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2, A driving assistance device characterized in that the attention warning information includes information that recommends driving in a lane with a slower average vehicle speed when the vehicle is driving on a road including multiple lanes with different average vehicle speeds.

Images