Vehicle control device and external device exchanging information with the vehicle control device

Abstract

A vehicle control device is provided that can more effectively perform driving assistance control for avoiding a collision when a vehicle passes through an intersection with traffic lights. [Solution] A vehicle control device (DS) includes a controller (10) that performs assistance control to avoid a collision between a vehicle (HV) and an object when a collision determination condition is satisfied between the vehicle and the object. When the vehicle enters an intersection equipped with a traffic light in front of the vehicle and the traffic light is either yellow or red, or when the traffic light in front of the vehicle is either yellow or red and information is acquired indicating that the vehicle is likely to enter an intersection equipped with the traffic light, the controller changes the collision determination condition from a normal condition to an easy condition that is more likely to be met than the normal condition.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device that performs driving assistance control for collision avoidance (collision damage reduction) at an intersection with traffic lights, and an external device that exchanges information with the control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, systems have been known in which an automated driving management device (ADK) and a vehicle driving control device cooperate to make a vehicle drive along a target trajectory generated by the automated driving management device. One such system performs driving assistance control using the vehicle driving control device to enable safer driving (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-92024 Summary of the Invention

[0004] Because automated driving management devices are developed by various manufacturers, the driving characteristics of the automated driving systems provided by each device differ. Therefore, some automated driving management devices automatically drive a vehicle so that the vehicle passes through an intersection equipped with a traffic light even when the traffic light is yellow or red. This occurs when the automated driving control is mature and the vehicle is equipped with an automated driving management device that automatically drives the vehicle to prevent sudden braking and sudden acceleration. Furthermore, even when the driver manually drives the vehicle instead of the automated driving management device, some drivers may cause the vehicle to enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light that is yellow or red. There is a demand for more effective driving assistance control to avoid collisions when driving a vehicle at such intersections equipped with traffic lights.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. That is, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device that can more effectively perform driving assistance control for avoiding a collision when a vehicle passes through an intersection with traffic lights.

[0006] A vehicle control device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a controller (10) that performs assistance control to avoid a collision between the vehicle and an object when a collision determination condition is satisfied between the vehicle and the object.

[0007] Further, the controller When the vehicle enters an intersection equipped with a traffic light in front of the vehicle and the lit signal of the traffic light in front of the vehicle is either yellow or red (S330: Yes), or when the lit signal of the traffic light in front of the vehicle is either yellow or red and information is acquired indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with the traffic light (S560, S565: Yes), the collision determination condition is changed from a normal fulfillment condition to an easy fulfillment condition that is more likely to be fulfilled than the normal fulfillment condition (S340, S570).

[0008] According to this aspect, when a vehicle enters an intersection equipped with a traffic light while the traffic light ahead of the vehicle is either yellow or red, the collision determination condition is changed from the normal condition to the easy condition. The easy condition is, for example, a condition that is met for an object located farther from the vehicle in the direction of travel of the vehicle or farther laterally from the direction of travel of the vehicle than the normal condition. Alternatively, the easy condition is, for example, a condition that is met when the time required for the vehicle to reach the object is reduced to a longer threshold time than the normal condition (i.e., the easy condition is met earlier than the normal condition). As a result, the above aspect can further improve the safety of the vehicle when passing through an intersection with traffic lights (i.e., an intersection equipped with traffic lights).

[0009] In one aspect of the present invention, the controller is configured to automatically drive the vehicle in response to instructions from an automatic driving kit mounted on the vehicle.

[0010] Because the autonomous driving kit drives the vehicle based on predetermined logic, its driving characteristics are unlikely to change. In other words, if an autonomous driving kit drives a vehicle into an intersection equipped with a traffic light when the light of the traffic light ahead of the vehicle is either yellow or red, the autonomous driving kit is likely to drive the vehicle in the same way at other intersections with traffic lights. Therefore, this aspect can stably improve the safety of a vehicle automatically driven by the autonomous driving kit, while at the same time reducing the possibility of the driver feeling uneasy due to excessive activation of assistance control to avoid a collision.

[0011] In one aspect of the present invention, the controller is configured to transmit first driving characteristic data to an external device (server SV) when the vehicle enters an intersection equipped with a traffic light in front of the vehicle and the lit signal of the traffic light in front of the vehicle is either a yellow light or a red light (S520), and to transmit second driving characteristic data to the external device when the vehicle enters an intersection equipped with the traffic light in front of the vehicle and the lit signal of the traffic light in front of the vehicle is a green light (S525).

[0012] In the above aspect, the controller acquires driving characteristic information indicating the driving characteristics of the autonomous driving kit acquired by the external device (server SV) based on the first driving characteristic data and the second driving characteristic data via communication (S560). The driving characteristic information includes first information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is either yellow or red, and second information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is either yellow or red. The second information can also be said to be information indicating that there is a low possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is either yellow or red.

[0013] According to this aspect, when the controller receives the first information, it can determine that it has acquired information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light when the lit signal of the traffic light ahead of the vehicle is either yellow or red.

[0014] In the above description, to facilitate understanding of the present invention, the names and / or symbols used in the embodiments described below are enclosed in parentheses for the configurations of the invention corresponding to those embodiments. However, the components of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments defined by the names and / or symbols. The present invention also extends to an external device that exchanges information with the controller, a vehicle operation control method, and a program therefor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2A and 2B are plan views for explaining the "normally met condition and easily met condition" which are collision determination conditions. [Figure 3] A routine executed by the CPU of the vehicle control ECU shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] A routine executed by the CPU of the vehicle control ECU shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] 6 is a routine executed by a CPU of a vehicle control ECU according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 shows a routine executed by a server according to a modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] <<First Embodiment>> A vehicle control device DS (hereinafter referred to as "first device DS") according to a first embodiment of the present invention includes the components shown in Fig. 1 and is applied to (mounted on) a vehicle HV. The vehicle HV may be any of a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine, an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, etc.

[0017] In this specification, an "ECU" is an electronic control unit having a microcomputer including a CPU (processor), ROM, RAM, and a writable non-volatile memory as a main device. An ECU is also called a controller or a computer. The multiple ECUs shown in FIG. 1 are connected to each other via a CAN (Controller Area Network) so that they can exchange information. The multiple ECUs shown in FIG. 1 may be integrated into one ECU. The single ECU shown in FIG. 1 may be realized by multiple ECUs.

[0018] The vehicle control ECU 10 executes collision avoidance control to prevent the vehicle HV from colliding with an object. Collision avoidance control is a type of driving assistance control, and is also called collision damage mitigation control. The vehicle control ECU 10 is connected to a surroundings monitoring sensor 20, a vehicle state sensor 30, a communication device 40, a travel actuator 50, an alarm device 60, a navigation system 70, and an interface ECU 80 via a CAN or directly.

[0019] The perimeter monitoring sensor 20 includes a camera device 21 and a radar device 22 .

[0020] The camera device 21 captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle using a camera, thereby acquiring image data. The camera device 21 generates camera information by analyzing the image data, and transmits the camera information to the vehicle control ECU 10.

[0021] The camera information includes lane marking information such as the position and type of lane markings in the lane in which the vehicle HV is traveling, traffic light information including the color of the lit signal of the traffic light in front of the vehicle, and camera object information such as the "position, relative longitudinal speed and relative lateral speed" of the photographed object relative to the vehicle HV and the type of object.

[0022] The radar device 22 is a well-known device that acquires information about objects present around the vehicle HV using millimeter-wave radio waves. The radar device 22 acquires radar information based on information about the transmitted and received millimeter waves, and transmits the radar information to the vehicle control ECU 10. The radar information includes the distance from the vehicle HV to the object, the "direction and relative speed" of the object with respect to the vehicle HV, and the type of the object.

[0023] The vehicle control ECU 10 generates fusion object information by combining the camera object information and the radar information, and performs collision avoidance control based on the fusion object information.

[0024] The vehicle condition sensor 30 includes, for example, the "sensors, switches, etc." described below. -Accelerator pedal operation amount sensor that detects the accelerator pedal operation amount AP. Brake pedal operation amount sensor detects the brake pedal operation amount BP. A vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle HV (i.e., the vehicle speed) Vh. ·Steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle SA of the vehicle HV.

[0025] The communication device 40 communicates with the vehicle control ECU 10 and an external device (for example, a server of a traffic information center) SV. The vehicle control ECU 10 can acquire various information from the external device SV via the communication device 40.

[0026] The traveling actuators 50 include a power train actuator that controls the power source of the vehicle HV, a brake actuator that controls the braking device of the vehicle HV, and a steering actuator that controls the steering device of the vehicle HV. The vehicle control ECU 10 can change the traveling state of the vehicle HV by sending an instruction signal to the traveling actuators 50. That is, the vehicle control ECU 10 uses the traveling actuators 50 to change the driving force applied to the vehicle HV, the braking force applied to the vehicle HV, and the steering angle of the vehicle HV.

[0027] The alarm device 60 includes an alarm display device and an alarm sound generating device. The alarm device 60 can cause the alarm display device to display an alarm image and the alarm sound generating device to generate an alarm sound in response to an instruction from the vehicle control ECU 10. Displaying an alarm image and generating an alarm sound are also forms of driving assistance control.

[0028] The navigation system 70 includes a GPS receiver, a map information storage device that stores map information, and a display touch panel. The navigation system 70 acquires the current position of the vehicle HV based on the GPS signals received by the GPS receiver. The map information includes the positions of intersections and information on whether or not the intersections are equipped with traffic lights.

[0029] The interface ECU 80 is a communication interface between the vehicle control ECU 10 and an autonomous driving kit 90, which will be described later.

[0030] The autonomous driving kit 90 is a device that provides driving instruction information to the vehicle control ECU 10 to automatically drive the vehicle HV from a predetermined departure point to a predetermined destination point. The autonomous driving kit 90 is also called an "ADK (Autonomous Driving Kit)" and is manufactured by multiple manufacturers. The autonomous driving kit 90 receives information from autonomous driving sensors (vehicle surrounding environment acquisition sensors) 91, including LiDAR.

[0031] The external device SV includes a communication device, a storage device DB for storing data, and a server. The external device SV will be hereinafter simply referred to as the "server SV." The server SV can exchange information, which will be described later, with the communication device 40 via a network and wireless communication. The server SV is installed, for example, in a traffic information center.

[0032] (Overview of operation) The autonomous driving kit 90 provides different driving characteristics to the vehicle HV depending on the manufacturer. For example, one autonomous driving kit 90 causes the vehicle HV to enter an intersection when the traffic light ahead of the vehicle HV turns yellow or red and the vehicle HV cannot stop before the intersection without braking somewhat suddenly. For example, another autonomous driving kit 90 causes the vehicle HV to brake somewhat suddenly and stop before the intersection when the traffic light ahead of the vehicle HV turns yellow or red.

[0033] Therefore, the first device DS, which initiates a collision avoidance operation (e.g., automatic braking) when a predetermined collision determination condition is met, changes the collision determination condition from a "normally met condition" to an "easily met condition" when the vehicle HV enters an intersection having a traffic light in front of the vehicle HV with the traffic light in front of the vehicle HV being yellow or red. The easily met condition is a condition that is more easily met than the normal condition. In other words, the collision risk when the easily met condition is met is lower than the collision risk when the normal condition is met.

[0034] For example, as shown in Figures 2(A) and 2(B), the normal condition is met when an object is located within a first region S1 in front of the vehicle HV. The first region S1 is fan-shaped, and its center line is a straight line that passes through the center of the upper end of the front windshield of the vehicle HV and extends in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle HV. The radius R1 (length of the center line) of the first region S1 increases as the host vehicle speed Vh or the relative speed of the object located in front of the vehicle HV in the direction approaching the vehicle increases.

[0035] For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the easily met condition is met when an object is located within a second region S2 in front of the vehicle HV. The second region S2 is fan-shaped with the same central angle as the first region S1, and its center line is a straight line that passes through the center of the upper edge of the front windshield of the vehicle HV and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle HV. The radius (length of the center line) R2 of the second region S2 is longer than the radius R1, and increases as the host vehicle speed Vh or the relative speed of the object located in front of the vehicle HV in the direction approaching the vehicle increases. Because the radius of the second region S2 is longer than that of the first region S1, the easily met condition is met even when the object is located farther from the vehicle HV than the normally met condition.

[0036] Furthermore, for example, as shown in FIG. 2(B), the easily met condition is met when an object is located within a third region S3 in front of the vehicle HV. The third region S3 is fan-shaped, and its center line is a straight line that passes through the center of the upper edge of the front windshield of the vehicle HV and extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle HV. The radius (length of the center line) R3 of the third region S3 is the same as the radius R1, and becomes longer as the host vehicle speed Vh or the relative speed of the object located in front of the vehicle HV in the direction approaching the vehicle increases. The central angle of the third region S3 is larger than the central angle of the first region S1. Therefore, the easily met condition is met even when the object is located further to the left or right from the traveling direction of the vehicle HV than the normally met condition.

[0037] The first device DS may calculate the time to collision TTC required for the object to collide with the vehicle HV by dividing the distance between the object and the vehicle HV by the relative speed of the object in the direction of approaching the vehicle HV.The first device DS may then determine that the collision determination condition is met when the time to collision TTC is equal to or less than the collision determination threshold TTCth.In this case, the first device DS sets the collision determination condition in which the collision determination threshold TTCth is set to a first value Tth1 as the normally met condition.Furthermore, the first device DS sets the collision determination condition in which the collision determination threshold TTCth is set to a second value Tth2 longer than the first value Tth1 as the easily met condition.The collision determination condition is also referred to as an execution condition for the collision avoidance assist operation.

[0038] As a result, when the autonomous driving kit 90 installed in the vehicle HV has "driving characteristics that tend to allow the vehicle HV to enter an intersection where the traffic light is yellow or red," the collision avoidance assistance operation is more likely to be performed, thereby enabling safer autonomous driving.

[0039] (Specific operation) The CPU of the vehicle control ECU 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as "CPU") executes the routine shown in the flowcharts of Figures 3 and 4 at predetermined intervals (computation cycles). Hereinafter, "step" will be abbreviated as "S".

[0040] <Changes to collision detection conditions> When an appropriate time arrives, the CPU starts the process from S300 in Fig. 3 and proceeds to S310. In S310, the CPU determines whether or not a traffic light is currently recognized based on the traffic light information acquired from the image data.

[0041] If a traffic light is recognized, the CPU proceeds from S310 to S320, where it determines whether the current time is immediately after the vehicle HV has entered an "intersection where the recognized traffic light is located." An intersection where the recognized traffic light is located is called a "specific intersection."

[0042] If the current time is immediately after the vehicle HV has entered a specific intersection, the CPU proceeds from S320 to S330 and determines whether the vehicle HV has entered a specific intersection based on image data, the current position of the vehicle HV, and map information when the traffic light at the specific intersection is yellow or red.

[0043] If the vehicle HV is entering a specific intersection when the traffic light at the specific intersection is yellow or red, the CPU proceeds from S330 to S340, where it changes the collision determination condition from the normal condition to the easy condition. Note that when the vehicle HV is started, the collision determination condition is set to the normal condition. Then, the CPU proceeds to S350.

[0044] On the other hand, if the CPU determines "No" in any of steps S310, S320, and S330, it proceeds directly from the step where it determined "No" to S350.

[0045] In S350, the CPU determines whether the current time is immediately after the vehicle HV has passed through an intersection with a traffic light, based on the map information and the current position of the vehicle HV.

[0046] If the current time is immediately after the vehicle HV has passed through an "intersection with traffic lights," the CPU proceeds from S350 to S360. In S360, the CPU sets the collision determination condition to a normal condition, regardless of whether the collision determination condition is an easy condition or a normal condition. The CPU then proceeds to S395 and provisionally ends this routine. In contrast, if the vehicle HV has not just passed through an "intersection with traffic lights," the CPU proceeds directly from S350 to S395.

[0047] <Collision avoidance operation> When an appropriate time arrives, the CPU starts the process from S400 in Fig. 4 and proceeds to S410 to determine whether the collision determination conditions are met. As described above, the collision determination conditions are set to either the normal met condition or the easy met condition.

[0048] If the collision determination condition is met, the CPU proceeds from S410 to S420 and performs automatic braking as a collision avoidance assistance operation, applying braking force to the vehicle HV to stop it so that it does not collide with an object. At this time, the CPU may also cause the warning display device to display a warning image and / or the warning sound generator to emit a warning sound. The CPU then proceeds to S495 and provisionally ends this routine. On the other hand, if the collision determination condition is not met, the CPU proceeds directly from S410 to S495.

[0049] As described above, when the traffic light ahead of the vehicle HV is either yellow or red and the vehicle HV enters an intersection equipped with the traffic light, the first device DS changes the collision determination condition from the normal condition to the easy condition. Therefore, the first device DS can further improve the safety of the vehicle HV when the vehicle HV passes through an intersection with traffic lights.

[0050] <<Second embodiment>> A vehicle control device (hereinafter referred to as the "second device") according to a second embodiment of the present invention accumulates driving characteristic data of the autonomous driving kit 90 when the vehicle HV passes through an intersection with traffic lights in a server SV. The server SV obtains information representing the driving characteristics of each autonomous driving kit 90 (i.e., driving characteristic information) based on the driving characteristic data and stores the driving characteristic information. Then, when the vehicle HV approaches an intersection with traffic lights, the second device obtains driving characteristic information of the autonomous driving kit 90 installed in the vehicle HV from the server SV and changes the collision determination conditions based on the driving characteristic information.

[0051] <Sending driving characteristics data to the server> When an appropriate time arrives, the CPU starts processing from S500 in Figure 5 and proceeds to S505, where it makes the same determination as in S310. If the determination condition in S505 is met, the CPU proceeds to S510, where it makes the same determination as in S320. If the determination condition in S510 is met, the CPU proceeds to S515, where it makes the same determination as in S330. Note that if either the condition in S505 or S510 is not met, the CPU proceeds directly to S530 and provisionally ends this routine.

[0052] The determination condition of S515 is satisfied when the vehicle HV enters an intersection equipped with a traffic light when the traffic light ahead of the vehicle HV is either yellow or red. In this case, the CPU proceeds to S520 and transmits to the server SV, as driving characteristic data, information indicating that the vehicle HV entered the intersection when the traffic light was yellow or red, along with the identifier of the autonomous driving kit 90 and the date and time of the event. The identifier of the autonomous driving kit 90 includes the model (product number), manufacturer, and software version of the autonomous driving kit 90. For convenience, the information transmitted to the server SV in S520 is also referred to as "first driving characteristic data." The CPU then proceeds to S530 and provisionally ends this routine.

[0053] On the other hand, if the determination condition of S515 is not satisfied, the CPU proceeds from S515 to S525, where it transmits driving characteristic data to the server SV indicating that the vehicle HV entered the intersection when the traffic light was green, along with the identifier of the autonomous driving kit and the date and time of the event. For convenience, the information transmitted to the server SV in S525 is also referred to as "second driving characteristic data." The CPU then proceeds to S530. This process is executed for each vehicle HV equipped with the autonomous driving kit 90 and the second device.

[0054] The server SV stores the driving characteristic data transmitted as a result of processing S520 or S525 in a database for each identifier of the automated driving kit 90. Furthermore, the server SV acquires driving characteristic information for each automated driving kit 90 based on the driving characteristic data and stores it in the database. For example, the server SV calculates the ratio RA of the total number of driving characteristic data indicating that the vehicle HV has entered an intersection where the traffic light is yellow or red to the total number of driving characteristic data for a certain automated driving kit 90. In other words, the ratio RA is the ratio of the "number of first driving characteristic data" to the "sum of the number of first driving characteristic data and the number of second driving characteristic data" for a certain automated driving kit 90.

[0055] If the ratio RA is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold ratio RAth, the server SV stores in its database "first information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle HV will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is either yellow or red" as driving characteristic information of the autonomous driving kit 90. In contrast, if the ratio RA for a certain autonomous driving kit 90 is less than the threshold ratio RAth, the server SV stores in its database "second information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle HV will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is green" as driving characteristic information of the autonomous driving kit 90.

[0056] <Changes to collision detection conditions> 5, the CPU starts the process from S550 and proceeds to S555, where it determines whether the vehicle HV is currently approaching an intersection with a traffic light based on the map information and the current position of the vehicle HV. For example, if the distance between the vehicle HV and the intersection with a traffic light is decreasing and is within a predetermined distance, the CPU determines that the vehicle HV is approaching an intersection with a traffic light.

[0057] If the vehicle HV is not approaching an intersection with a traffic light, the CPU proceeds from S555 to S585, which will be described later. In contrast, if the vehicle HV is approaching an intersection with a traffic light, the CPU proceeds from S555 to S560, where it acquires driving characteristic information of the autonomous driving kit 90 installed in the vehicle HV from the server SV via communication. More specifically, the CPU transmits the identifier of the autonomous driving kit 90 installed in the vehicle HV, the identifier of the vehicle HV, and a download request for the driving characteristic information to the server SV. The server SV transmits the driving characteristic information stored for each identifier of the autonomous driving kit 90 transmitted to the server SV. The server SV transmits the driving characteristic information stored for each identifier of the autonomous driving kit 90 transmitted to the "vehicle HV having the identifier that transmitted the download request." The CPU acquires the driving characteristic information transmitted via the communication device 40. This driving characteristic information includes first information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle HV will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is either yellow or red, and second information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle HV will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is green.

[0058] Next, the CPU proceeds to S565 and determines whether the acquired driving characteristic information is first information. That is, the CPU determines whether the acquired driving characteristic information is "information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle HV will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is either yellow or red." If the driving characteristic information is first information, the CPU proceeds to S570 and changes the collision determination condition from a normal condition to an easy condition. Next, the CPU proceeds to S575 and notifies the autonomous driving kit 90 that the collision determination condition has been changed. The autonomous driving kit 90 stores the number of times the collision determination condition has been changed. This information is referenced later when improving the autonomous driving kit 90. Then, the CPU proceeds to S585.

[0059] On the other hand, if the driving characteristic information is not the first information (i.e., if the driving characteristic information is the second information), the CPU proceeds from S565 to S580, and sets the collision determination condition to the normal satisfaction condition. Thereafter, the CPU proceeds to S585.

[0060] In S585, the CPU determines whether the current time is immediately after the vehicle HV has passed through an intersection with a traffic light, based on the map information and the current position of the vehicle HV.

[0061] If the current time is immediately after the vehicle HV has passed through an "intersection with traffic lights," the CPU proceeds from S585 to S590, where it sets the collision determination condition to the normal condition regardless of whether the collision determination condition is the easy condition or the normal condition.The CPU then proceeds to S595, where it provisionally ends this routine.If the vehicle HV has not just passed through an "intersection with traffic lights," the CPU proceeds directly from S585 to S595.

[0062] As described above, when the second device acquires from the server SV information (i.e., the first information) indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle HV will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light when the traffic light ahead of the vehicle HV is either yellow or red, the second device changes the collision determination condition from the normal satisfaction condition to the easy satisfaction condition. Therefore, the second device can further improve the safety of the vehicle HV when the vehicle HV passes through an intersection with traffic lights.

[0063] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, a device having both the functions of the first device DS and the second device may be installed in the vehicle HV. The first device DS may also be applied to vehicles that do not have the automatic driving kit 90 installed (i.e., normal vehicles driven by a driver). In this case, the CPU of the vehicle control ECU 10 may execute, as a collision avoidance assistance operation at S420 in FIG. 4, an operation of causing the warning display device to display a warning image and / or an operation of causing the warning sound generating device to generate a warning sound, instead of or in addition to automatic braking.

[0064] Furthermore, the second device can be applied to an individual driver or vehicle instead of the automatic driving kit 90. More specifically, the CPU transmits the driver identifier or vehicle identifier to the server SV instead of the identifier of the automatic driving kit 90 included in the driving characteristic data at S520 and S525. The server SV collects driving characteristic data for each driver or vehicle and acquires driving characteristic information. At S560, the CPU receives the driving characteristic information for the driver or vehicle from the server SV.

[0065] Furthermore, the server SV may execute the routine shown in Fig. 6 every time the first time elapses. More specifically, the server SV starts processing from S600 and proceeds to S610, where it determines whether a "second time longer than the first time" has elapsed since the last time this routine was executed.

[0066] If the second time has not elapsed since the last time this routine was executed, the server SV proceeds directly from S610 to S695 and provisionally ends this routine. On the other hand, if the second time has elapsed since the last time this routine was executed, the server SV proceeds to S620 and selects one automated driving kit 90 with a certain identifier. Next, the server SV proceeds to S630 and reads driving characteristic data for the selected automated driving kit 90 from the database DB.

[0067] Next, the server SV proceeds to S640 and determines whether the read driving characteristic data is from a period more than a predetermined time ago (i.e., outside the period). If the read driving characteristic data is from outside the period, the server SV proceeds to S650, deletes the driving characteristic data, and proceeds to S660. On the other hand, if the read driving characteristic data is not from outside the period, the server SV proceeds directly from S640 to S660.

[0068] In S660, the server SV determines whether all driving characteristic data for the selected automated driving kit 90 has been checked. If not, the server SV proceeds to S670 to read other driving characteristic data for the selected automated driving kit. The server SV then returns to S640.

[0069] On the other hand, if all of the driving characteristic data for the selected automatic driving kit 90 has been checked, the server SV proceeds from S660 to S680 to determine whether all of the automatic driving kits have been checked. If all of the automatic driving kits have not been checked, the server SV proceeds from S680 to S690 to select one of the automatic driving kits that has not been checked, and then returns to S630. On the other hand, if all of the automatic driving kits have been checked, the server SV proceeds from S680 to S695.

[0070] According to this, if old driving characteristic data is no longer valid due to changes in the traffic environment, the old driving characteristic data is deleted. Alternatively, if the first and second driving characteristic data do not include the software version of the automatic driving kit 90, the driving characteristic data for the old version (i.e., the version before the update) is deleted. Therefore, the server SV can obtain more accurate driving characteristic information and provide the accurate driving characteristic information to the vehicle HV. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 10...vehicle control ECU, 20...periphery monitoring sensor, 30...vehicle state sensor, 40...communication device, 50...travel actuator, 60...alarm device, 70...navigation system, 80...interface ECU, 90...autonomous driving kit (ADK), external device SV.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device including a controller that performs assistance control to avoid a collision between a vehicle and an object when a collision determination condition is satisfied, The controller When the vehicle enters an intersection equipped with a traffic light in front of the vehicle and the light signal of the traffic light in front of the vehicle is either a yellow light or a red light, or when information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with the traffic light in front of the vehicle and the light signal of the traffic light in front of the vehicle is either a yellow light or a red light is acquired, the collision determination condition is changed from a normal fulfillment condition to an easy fulfillment condition that is more likely to be fulfilled than the normal fulfillment condition. Control device.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The controller The vehicle is configured to automatically drive in response to instructions from an automatic driving kit mounted on the vehicle. Control device.

3. 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, The controller transmitting first driving characteristic data to an external device when the vehicle enters an intersection equipped with a traffic light in front of the vehicle, the traffic light being either a yellow light or a red light; transmitting second driving characteristic data to the external device when the vehicle enters an intersection equipped with a traffic light in front of the vehicle while the light of the traffic light in front of the vehicle is green; It was configured as follows: Control device.

4. 4. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, The controller The external device is configured to acquire, via communication, driving characteristic information indicating the driving characteristics of the autonomous driving kit, the driving characteristic information being acquired by the external device based on the first driving characteristic data and the second driving characteristic data, The driving characteristic information includes first information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is either a yellow light or a red light, and second information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is a green light. Control device.

5. An external device that exchanges information with a controller that automatically drives a vehicle based on instructions from the automatic driving kit, receiving, from a controller of the vehicle, first driving characteristic data indicating that the vehicle has entered an intersection equipped with a traffic light when the light signal of the traffic light in front of the vehicle is either a yellow light or a red light, and second driving characteristic data indicating that the vehicle has entered an intersection equipped with the traffic light when the light signal of the traffic light in front of the vehicle is a green light; Generate driving characteristic information indicating the driving characteristics of the automatic driving kit based on the first driving characteristic data and the second driving characteristic data, the driving characteristic information including first information indicating that there is a high possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is either a yellow light or a red light, and second information indicating that there is a low possibility that the vehicle will enter an intersection equipped with a traffic light whose lit signal is either a yellow light or a red light, Transmitting the driving characteristic information to the controller or a controller of another vehicle that is automatically driven by the automatic driving kit; external device.

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