Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and vehicle control program

Abstract

To ensure that vehicles can follow their routes appropriately depending on the situation. [Solution] The vehicle control device 1 includes a road surface condition determination unit 54 that determines the condition of the road surface, and a driving control unit 57 that performs driving support control and controls the driving of the vehicle 2. The road surface condition determination unit 54 performs a first determination (ST2) that determines whether the road surface is drivable based on the output of a first detection means that detects irregularities on the road surface, a second determination (ST3 to ST5) that determines the type and condition of the road surface based on the output of a second detection means that detects the condition of the road surface, and a third determination (ST6, ST7) that determines whether the road surface is frozen based on the output of a third detection means that detects external environmental information of the vehicle 2, including at least the outside air temperature. The driving control unit 57 determines whether to continue driving based on at least one determination result, including the determination result of the first determination, and performs driving support control according to whether to continue driving (ST8 to ST12).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a vehicle control program for controlling the running of a vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a vehicle control program for performing vehicle running control based on the state of the running road surface of the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, efforts have been actively made to provide access to a sustainable transportation system that takes into account people in vulnerable positions among traffic participants. In order to achieve this, efforts to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of driving support technologies have attracted attention.

[0003] Since the driving environment is constantly changing, appropriate driving support according to the weather and road surface conditions is required. For example, on a snowy road, when driving on fresh snow, the tires may slip, so it may be better to drive on the tracks compacted by the running of other vehicles. On the other hand, on a paved road, when driving on the tracks, depending on the position and angle of the wheels, the tires may get caught in the tracks, causing the so-called "being taken by the steering wheel", which is dangerous.

[0004] Conventionally, when driving on a road with tracks on the road surface, a vehicle running control device that performs stable running control without instability in vehicle behavior and steering control is known (see Patent Document 1). This running control device sets a first course, which is a target course on the road surface based on map information, and a second course, which is a target course based on the information of the tracks on the road surface detected based on the image information ahead, and compares the two courses to set the target course for the host vehicle to run.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses a vehicle control device that detects tracks on a road, estimates the type of tracks (tracks on a snowy road, tracks on a muddy road with water accumulation, etc.), and selectively determines whether to move the host vehicle along the tracks (on the tracks) or avoid the tracks and move the host vehicle according to the type of tracks.

Prior Art Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-172500 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2018-106474 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, simply identifying the type of rut does not guarantee that a suitable driving trajectory can be set. In other words, even on roads with the same type of ruts, there are situations where it is better to drive on the ruts and situations where it is better to avoid them. Therefore, in actual driving, it is necessary not only to confirm that the ruts are drivable, but also to consider detailed information about the ruts, the road surface environment, the surrounding environment, etc., to determine the situation and provide driver assistance control to drive along an appropriate route according to the situation.

[0008] In view of the above background, the present invention aims to enable vehicles to travel along their routes appropriately according to the situation and to provide drivers with a sense of security. Ultimately, this will contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle control device comprising: a road surface condition determination unit that determines the condition of the road surface ahead of the vehicle; and a driving control unit that performs driving support control to assist the driving of the vehicle and controls the driving of the vehicle, wherein the road surface condition determination unit performs a first determination to determine whether the road surface is drivable based on the output of a first detection means that detects irregularities in the road surface; a second determination to determine the type and condition of the road surface based on the output of a second detection means that detects the condition of the road surface; and a third determination to determine whether the road surface is frozen based on the output of a third detection means that detects external environmental information of the vehicle, including at least the outside air temperature; and the driving control unit is configured to determine whether to continue driving based on at least one determination result, including the result of the first determination, from among the determination result of the first determination, the determination result of the second determination, and the determination result of the third determination, and to perform the driving support control according to whether to continue driving.

[0010] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method, wherein a computer performs a road surface condition determination to determine the condition of the road surface ahead of the vehicle, performs driving support control to assist in driving the vehicle, and performs driving control to control the driving of the vehicle, wherein in the road surface condition determination, a first determination is performed to determine whether the road surface is drivable based on the output of a first detection means for detecting irregularities in the road surface, a second determination is performed to determine the type and condition of the road surface based on the output of a second detection means for detecting the condition of the road surface, and a third determination is performed to determine whether the road surface is frozen based on the output of a third detection means for detecting external environmental information of the vehicle, including at least the outside air temperature, and in the driving control, a decision is made on whether to continue driving based on at least one determination result, including the result of the first determination, from among the determination result of the first determination, the determination result of the second determination, and the determination result of the third determination, and the driving support control is performed according to whether to continue driving.

[0011] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle control program that causes a computer to perform a road surface condition determination to determine the condition of the road surface ahead of the vehicle, and a driving control to assist the driving of the vehicle and control the driving of the vehicle, wherein the road surface condition determination includes a first determination to determine whether the road surface is drivable based on the output of a first detection means for detecting irregularities in the road surface, a second determination to determine the type and condition of the road surface and whether it is an unpaved road based on the output of a second detection means for detecting the condition of the road surface, and a third determination to determine whether the road surface is frozen based on the output of a third detection means for detecting external environmental information of the vehicle, including at least the ambient temperature, wherein the driving control determines whether the driving can be continued based on at least one determination result, including the result of the first determination, from among the determination results of the first determination, the determination results of the second determination, and the determination results of the third determination, and executes the driving support control according to whether the driving can be continued. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the above configuration, it is possible to ensure that the vehicle follows the appropriate route depending on the situation and to give the driver a sense of security. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] Configuration diagram of a vehicle system according to an embodiment of the present invention [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of ruts on a road surface. [Figure 3] A diagram showing another example of ruts on a road surface. [Figure 4] (A) An example of ruts, (B) Cross-sectional view of the road surface showing another example of ruts. [Figure 5] Flowchart showing the procedure for driver assistance control by the vehicle control system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the vehicle control device 1 is installed in the vehicle 2. The vehicle 2 is, for example, a wheeled vehicle, a four-wheeled automobile with two front wheels and two rear wheels. In other examples, the vehicle 2 may have six or more wheels, and may be a three-wheeled or two-wheeled vehicle. The vehicle 2 is an autonomous vehicle or a vehicle with driver assistance functions.

[0015] Vehicle 2 has a propulsion system 3, a braking system 4, and a steering system 5. The propulsion system 3 is a device that provides driving force to vehicle 2 and includes, for example, a power source and a transmission. The power source has at least one of an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine and an electric motor. The braking system 4 is a device that provides braking force to vehicle 2 and includes, for example, a brake caliper that presses pads against a brake rotor and an electric cylinder that supplies hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper. The steering system 5 is a device for changing the steering angle of the wheels and includes, for example, a rack and pinion mechanism that steers the wheels and an electric motor that drives the rack and pinion mechanism. The propulsion system 3, the braking system 4, and the steering system 5 are controlled by a vehicle control device 1.

[0016] Vehicle 2 has an external environment recognition device 7. The external environment recognition device 7 is a device that detects objects outside the vehicle. The external environment recognition device 7 is a sensor that detects objects outside the vehicle by capturing electromagnetic waves and light from the surroundings of Vehicle 2. The external environment recognition device 7 includes, for example, a radar 8, a LiDAR 9, and an external camera 10.

[0017] The rider 9 is a first detection means that detects irregularities in the road surface in front of the vehicle 2. Irregularities in the road surface include ruts 11 (see Figure 2). The rider 9 detects the irregularities in the road surface, including not only the presence or absence of ruts 11, but also rut information including the width W, depth D, and lateral inclination angle θ of the ruts 11. The external camera 10 is also a first detection means that detects irregularities in the road surface in front of the vehicle 2. In other words, the external camera 10 works in cooperation with the rider 9 to constitute a first detection means.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of rut 11 on a driving road surface. As shown in FIG. 2, the driving road surface is a paved road with asphalt pavement. On the driving road, two ruts 11 corresponding to the vehicle width extend along the lane, that is, along the traveling direction of the vehicle 2. When driving on such a rut 11, depending on the position and angle of the wheels, the tire may get caught on the rut 11, and so-called "being taken over the steering wheel" may occur. Therefore, the vehicle control device 1 executes driving assistance control of the vehicle 2 described later so that the vehicle 2 can appropriately travel along the route according to the situation.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another example of rut 11 on a driving road surface. As shown in FIG. 3, the driving road surface is a paved road with asphalt pavement, the same as in FIG. 2. There is an intersection in front of the driving road, and in the area of the intersection on the driving road surface, there are a plurality of ruts 11 extending so as to intersect the traveling direction. There are often a plurality of ruts 11, such as a case where there are two parallel ruts 11 or a case where there are four parallel ruts 11. When driving so as to pass over such a rut 11, depending on the vehicle speed, the vibration and pitching of the vehicle 2 may increase. Therefore, the vehicle control device 1 executes driving assistance control of the vehicle 2 described later so that the vehicle 2 can appropriately travel along the route according to the situation.

[0020] In addition, the external camera 10 is also the second detection means for detecting the state of the driving road surface. The external camera 10 photographs the driving road surface and can determine the type and state of the driving road surface by analyzing the photographed image. The types of the driving road surface include paved roads and unpaved roads. Also, the type of the driving road surface may include whether it is an asphalt-paved road or a concrete-paved road when the driving road surface is a paved road. Also, the type of paved road may include cobblestones. The type of the driving road surface may include whether it is a gravel road or a dirt road when the driving road surface is an unpaved road. Also, the type of the paved road may include whether the driving road surface is a dry road, a wet road, has snow, or has a puddle. Returning to FIG. 1, the description will continue.

[0021] Vehicle 2 has a vehicle sensor 12. The vehicle sensor 12 includes a vehicle speed sensor 13 that detects the speed of the vehicle 2, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around the vertical axis, a direction sensor that detects the orientation of the vehicle 2, and the like.

[0022] Vehicle 2 has an external environment information acquisition device 14, a communication device 15, a navigation device 16, a driving operation device 17, a passenger monitoring device 18, and an HMI 19 (Human Machine Interface). The communication device 15 mediates communication between the vehicle control device 1 and the navigation device 16 and surrounding vehicles and servers located outside the vehicle.

[0023] The external environment information acquisition device 14 may have an outside air temperature sensor 20 that detects the external temperature of the vehicle 2 and a weather information acquisition device 21 that acquires weather information. The weather information acquisition device 21 acquires the weather information of the area where the vehicle 2 is located. The weather information may include weather, temperature, humidity, wind direction, and wind speed. The weather information acquisition device 21 may access the Internet via the communication device 15 and acquire weather information from a server that provides weather information, or may acquire weather information from a beacon, FM multiplex broadcast, or the like.

[0024] The navigation device 16 is a device that acquires the current position of the vehicle 2 and provides route guidance to the destination. The navigation device 16 may have a GNSS receiving unit, a map storage unit, a navigation interface, and a route determination unit. The GNSS receiving unit identifies the position (latitude and longitude) of the vehicle 2 based on signals received from artificial satellites (positioning satellites). The map storage unit is composed of a known storage device such as a flash memory or a hard disk and stores map information. The navigation interface receives inputs such as the destination from the passenger and presents various information to the passenger by display or voice. The navigation interface may include, for example, a touch panel display, a speaker 32, and the like.

[0025] When a destination is input from the navigation interface, the route determination unit determines the route from the current position of vehicle 2 to the destination. The route may include lane information. For example, on a road with two lanes in each direction, the route determination unit generally sets the route to the driving lane. The route determination unit sets the route to the overtaking lane or the right-turn lane before a right-turn point. In areas where a lane change occurs, the route determination unit sets the route to intersect with the lane boundary line drawn between lanes, and in other areas, it sets the route to the center of the lane.

[0026] The driving control device 17 receives input operations performed by the occupant (driver) to control the vehicle 2. The driving control device 17 includes a steering wheel 22, an accelerator pedal 23, and a brake pedal 24. The driving control device 17 may also include a shift lever, a parking brake lever, etc. Each driving control device 17 is equipped with a sensor to detect the amount of operation. The driving control device 17 outputs a signal indicating the amount of operation to the vehicle control device 1.

[0027] The occupant monitoring device 18 monitors the condition of the occupants inside the vehicle. The occupant monitoring device 18 includes, for example, an in-vehicle camera 25 that captures images of occupants seated in the seats inside the vehicle, and a grip sensor 26 provided on the steering wheel 22. The in-vehicle camera 25 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS. The grip sensor 26 detects whether or not the driver is gripping the steering wheel 22. The grip sensor 26 may be formed by, for example, a capacitive sensor or piezoelectric element provided on the steering wheel 22.

[0028] The HMI 19 provides the occupant with various information through displays and sounds, and also accepts input operations from the occupant. The HMI 19 includes a display device 31 and a speaker 32. The display device 31 may be a touch panel display including liquid crystal or organic EL. The display device 31 may also serve as a navigation interface. The display device 31 and speaker 32 function as notification devices for providing information to the occupant through images and sounds. Here, the images may be videos containing multiple consecutive frames. The HMI 19 may also include various actuators. For example, the actuators may be those that act on the driver's six senses, such as a vibration actuator built into the steering wheel 22 or a belt tightening device built into the seat belt retractor.

[0029] Vehicle 2 has a first operation switch 35 and a second operation switch 36. The first operation switch 35 and the second operation switch 36 are switches that can be operated by the occupants. The first operation switch 35 and the second operation switch 36 may be mechanical switches or GUI switches displayed on a touch panel, and are arranged in appropriate places in the vehicle interior. The first operation switch 35 and the second operation switch 36 may be configured as a display device 31 or a navigation interface. The first operation switch 35 may be a switch for changing the on / off state of driver assistance control. The second operation switch 36 may be a switch for selecting a driver assistance control to be executed from among several driver assistance controls, and for setting the level of automated driving. The second operation switch 36 may be, for example, a rotary switch. The first operation switch 35 and the second operation switch 36 may be configured as a single unit as a common switch.

[0030] The vehicle control device 1 is a computer having a processor 41 and a memory 42 that is communicatively connected to the processor 41. The processor 41 may include at least one of the following as its core: a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer). The memory 42 stores control programs executed by the processor 41 and various data. The memory 42 may include at least one of volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The volatile memory may be, for example, DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or SRAM (Static Random Access Memory). The non-volatile memory may be an SSD (Solid State Drive), flash memory, magnetic disk storage device, or optical disk storage device. At least a part of the vehicle control device 1 may be implemented by hardware such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), or FPGA (field-programmable gate array), or by a combination of software and hardware. The vehicle control device 1 may be composed of a single piece of hardware, or it may be composed of multiple pieces of hardware that can communicate with each other. Part of the vehicle control device 1 may be composed of an external server located outside the vehicle 2.

[0031] The processor 41 implements various applications by executing control programs stored in memory 42. The control programs may be stored on removable recordable media such as DVDs or CD-ROMs, and installed in memory 42 when the recordable media is read by a reader. Alternatively, the control programs may be downloaded to and installed in memory 42 via a communication network such as the Internet.

[0032] The processor 41 functions as a surrounding situation recognition unit 51, a vehicle position recognition unit 52, a driver state determination unit 53, a road surface condition determination unit 54, an operation detection unit 55, an action planning unit 56, a driving control unit 57, a mode setting unit 58, and a notification unit 59 by executing a control program stored in the memory 42. As the processor 41 executes the control program, the vehicle control device 1, which is a computer, executes a vehicle control method.

[0033] The surrounding environment recognition unit 51 recognizes the surrounding environment of the vehicle 2. Based on the detection results of the external environment recognition device 7, the surrounding environment recognition unit 51 recognizes the surrounding environment (external environment), including obstacles located around the vehicle 2, the shape of the road, the presence or absence of sidewalks, road markings, etc. Obstacles include, for example, guardrails, utility poles, surrounding vehicles, and people such as pedestrians. From the detection results of the external environment recognition device 7, the surrounding environment recognition unit 51 can acquire the status of surrounding vehicles, such as their position, speed, and acceleration.

[0034] The vehicle position recognition unit 52 recognizes the driving lane in which the vehicle 2 is traveling, as well as the relative position and angle of the vehicle 2 with respect to the driving lane. The vehicle position recognition unit 52 may recognize the driving lane based on map information and the position of the vehicle 2 acquired by the GNSS receiver. In addition, the vehicle position recognition unit 52 may extract the lane markings around the vehicle 2 drawn on the road surface from the map information and compare them with the shape of the lane markings captured by the external camera 10 to recognize the relative position and angle of the vehicle 2 with respect to the driving lane.

[0035] The driver status determination unit 53 recognizes the driver's situation and determines the driver's status. Based on the detection results of the occupant monitoring device 18, the driver status determination unit 53 recognizes the driver's status and the driver's holding status of the steering wheel 22. The driver's status includes the driver's head position, face orientation, eye opening / closing state, and gaze direction. The driver status determination unit 53 can acquire this driver status information from the detection results of the in-vehicle camera 25.

[0036] The driver state determination unit 53 determines whether the driver is in an surrounding monitoring state based on the signal from the occupant monitoring device 18. The surrounding monitoring state is a state suitable for driving in which the driver is monitoring the surroundings of the vehicle 2 and meets predetermined suitability criteria, and is required in automated driving of level 2 or lower, where surrounding monitoring is mandatory. In the surrounding monitoring state, it is preferable that the driver is in a state in which they can quickly start manual driving. For example, in the surrounding monitoring state, the driver is seated facing forward in the seat and is monitoring the area in front of the vehicle 2. The driver state determination unit 53 may, for example, acquire the driver's posture or head orientation based on the image from the in-vehicle camera 25, and determine that the driver is in an surrounding monitoring state if the driver's posture or head orientation corresponds to a predetermined surrounding monitoring posture. Alternatively, the driver state determination unit 53 may, for example, acquire the driver's gaze based on the image from the in-vehicle camera 25, and determine that the driver is in an surrounding monitoring state that meets the suitability criteria if the driver's gaze is directed forward. Furthermore, the driver state determination unit 53 may determine that the driver's state is in a state of surroundings monitoring when the driver is gripping the steering wheel 22 based on the signal from the grip sensor 26. Alternatively, the driver state determination unit 53 may determine that the driver's state is in a state of surroundings monitoring when the driver's gaze is directed forward and the steering wheel 22 is being gripped by the driver.

[0037] In Level 3 and above automated driving, where there is no obligation to monitor the surroundings, an abnormal state means a situation in which the driver is unable to promptly take over driving when a request for a driver change occurs. A state in which a driver change is not possible means that the driver is unable to monitor the screen displaying warnings, etc., and includes situations where the driver is asleep or looking behind. In this embodiment, the suitability criteria for Level 3 automated driving include conditions to ensure that the driver fulfills their obligation to monitor the surroundings of the vehicle when notified to do so.

[0038] At each level of autonomous driving, the driver state determination unit 53 determines that the driver's state is abnormal if the pre-set appropriate criteria are not met, as the driver is not in a normal state corresponding to the level of autonomous driving.

[0039] The road surface condition determination unit 54 determines the condition of the road surface. Specifically, the road surface condition determination unit 54 performs a first determination to determine whether the road surface is drivable or not, based on the outputs of the lidar 9 and the external camera 10 (their detection results). Specifically, the road surface condition determination unit 54 recognizes irregularities on the road surface and determines whether the vehicle 2 is drivable or not. Irregularities include ruts 11 as described above. For example, if the ruts 11 are too deep, wide, or have large depressions that make it impossible to drive, the road surface condition determination unit 54 determines that the road surface is drivable, and otherwise determines that it is drivable.

[0040] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the road surface showing (A) an example of a rut 11 and (B) another example of a rut 11. The road surface condition determination unit 54 calculates rut ​​information, including the width W, depth D, and lateral inclination angle θ of the rut 11 on the road surface, based on the output of the rider 9 and the external camera 10. A rut 11 is a groove formed on the road surface due to wear by snow tires on a paved road, deformation of the pavement, roadbed or subgrade, compaction of snow, etc. The road surface condition determination unit 54 calculates the width W of the rut 11 from the widest part of the top of the groove, the depth D of the rut 11 from the deepest part of the groove, and the angle of the side of the groove with respect to the horizontal plane as the lateral inclination angle θ. Generally, the inclination of both sides of the rut 11 is often about the same, but if the inclinations are different, the average value of the angles of both sides may be calculated as the lateral inclination angle θ. The lateral inclination angle θ of the rut 11 shown in Figure 4(A) is approximately 90 degrees, and such ruts 11 are often formed by compaction of snow. The lateral inclination angle θ of the rut 11 shown in Figure 4(B) is approximately 60 degrees, and such ruts 11 are often formed on unpaved roads, but can also be formed on paved roads.

[0041] Furthermore, the road surface condition determination unit 54 shown in Figure 1 performs a second determination to determine the type of road surface (e.g., paved road (asphalt / concrete), unpaved road (gravel road / dirt road)) and its condition (e.g., dry / wet / with or without snow / with or without puddles) based on the output of the external camera 10.Hereinafter, the determination of the type of road surface may be referred to as the 2-1 determination, and the determination of the condition of the road surface may be referred to as the 2-2 determination.In the 2-1 determination, the road surface condition determination unit 54 determines the roughness of the road surface based on the output of the external camera 10.In the 2-2 determination, the road surface condition determination unit 54 may determine the condition of the road surface using past weather data (e.g., snow cover, rainfall, etc.) acquired by the weather information acquisition device 21.

[0042] Furthermore, the road surface condition determination unit 54 performs a third determination to determine whether or not the road surface is frozen, based on the output of the external environment information acquisition device 14 which detects external environment information of the vehicle 2. In the third determination, the road surface condition determination unit 54 determines whether or not there is ice (whether or not there is a possibility of ice) using at least the current outside temperature detected by the outside temperature sensor 20. The road surface condition determination unit 54 may also use the current and / or past outside temperatures acquired by the weather information acquisition device 21.

[0043] The operation detection unit 55 acquires the amount of operation of the driving control device 17 based on the signal from the driving control device 17. The operation detection unit 55 acquires the amount of operation of the brake pedal 24, accelerator pedal 23, and steering wheel 22 based on signals from sensors provided on the brake pedal 24, accelerator pedal 23, and steering wheel 22. In other words, the operation detection unit 55 is configured to detect brake pedal operation, accelerator pedal operation, and steering wheel operation by the driver.

[0044] The operation detection unit 55 is configured to detect the operation of the first operation switch 35 and the second operation switch 36 by the occupant based on signals from the first operation switch 35 and the second operation switch 36.

[0045] The driving control unit 57 is configured to control the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 2 according to the driving mode. In addition to controlling the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 2, the driving control unit 57 may also be configured to control the steering of the vehicle 2. The driving control unit 57 performs automatic driving control, including adaptive cruise control (hereinafter referred to as ACC) and lane keeping assist control (hereinafter referred to as LKAS). Adaptive cruise control is an example of vehicle speed control that controls the speed of the vehicle 2 by controlling the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 2. The driving control unit 57 controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 2 by controlling the propulsion system 3 and the braking system 4, thereby assisting the driver's driving. Lane keeping assist control is an example of steering control that controls the steering of the vehicle 2 by controlling the steering system 5. The driving control unit 57 controls the trajectory of the vehicle 2 by controlling the steering system 5, thereby assisting the driver's driving.

[0046] The Action Planning Unit 56 determines the trajectory (hereinafter referred to as the target trajectory) that the vehicle 2 should travel along, according to the type and condition of the road surface determined by the Road Surface Condition Determination Unit 54, while ACC or LKAS is running, or while both ACC and LKAS are running and the vehicle 2 is in motion. The Action Planning Unit 56 also sequentially creates an action plan to drive the vehicle 2 along the route. The Action Planning Unit 56 determines events that will allow the vehicle 2 to travel along the target lane determined by the Route Determination Unit without coming into contact with any obstacles. The events include a constant-speed driving event where the vehicle drives in the same lane at a constant speed, a follow event where the vehicle follows a preceding vehicle at a low speed (e.g., 60 km / h or less), a lane change event where the vehicle changes its lane, an overtaking event where the vehicle overtakes a preceding vehicle, a merge event where the vehicle merges at a road merging point, a branching event where the vehicle drives in the desired direction at a road branching point, an automated driving termination event where automated driving ends and manual driving begins, and a stop event where the vehicle stops if the driver does not respond to an intervention request (handover request). During the execution of these events, the action planning unit 56 may decide on an avoidance event to avoid obstacles, etc., based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 2 (presence of surrounding vehicles or pedestrians, lane narrowing due to road construction, etc.). Based on the decided events, the action planning unit 56 generates a target trajectory that the vehicle 2 should travel in the future.

[0047] In addition to the above-mentioned controls that support driving during normal driving, the driving control unit 57 also performs automatic driving controls for accident prevention, such as collision mitigation braking (hereinafter referred to as CMBS) and road departure prevention function. CMBS is implemented by controlling the braking system 4 after issuing a warning to decelerate the vehicle 2 in order to avoid or mitigate a collision when there is a risk of the vehicle 2 colliding with a preceding vehicle or pedestrian. The road departure prevention function is implemented by controlling the steering system 5 after issuing a warning to change the direction of travel of the vehicle 2 when there is a risk of the vehicle 2 deviating from its driving lane.

[0048] When the operation detection unit 55 detects an ON signal from the first operation switch 35, the driving control unit 57 starts driving assistance control. When the operation detection unit 55 detects an OFF signal from the first operation switch 35, the driving control unit 57 terminates driving assistance control. When the operation detection unit 55 detects a selection signal from the second operation switch 36, the driving control unit 57 switches the driving assistance control to be executed or currently executed to the driving assistance control selected by the selection signal. The selection signal from the second operation switch 36 may, for example, select ACC and LKAS, or select LKAS only.

[0049] The driving control unit 57 includes multiple support patterns for performing driving assistance control while the vehicle 2 is in motion. Specifically, the driving control unit 57 includes support pattern A, support pattern B, support pattern C, and support pattern D.

[0050] Support pattern A is selected when the road surface is paved and has snow or puddles and is frozen. In support pattern A, rut driving, which is driving on ruts 11 that extend in the direction of travel, is stopped (prohibited). Stopping (prohibiting) rut driving means that the vehicle 2 will be driven with its wheels in contact with an area of ​​the road surface other than the ruts 11, that is, the driving support is provided so that the vehicle 2 avoids the ruts 11. Specifically, if the wheels of the vehicle 2 would overlap with the ruts 11 when the vehicle 2 is driving on a target trajectory set in the center of the lane, the driving control unit 57 offsets the target trajectory in the width direction so that the wheels do not come into contact with the ruts 11. If offsetting is not possible, the driving control unit 57 stops the driving support control and transfers authority to the driver. Also, if the ruts 11 exist in the direction of travel, i.e., intersecting the target trajectory, the driving control unit 57 sets a predetermined third upper speed limit. The third upper speed limit may be the same value as the first upper speed limit, or it may be a value greater than the first upper speed limit.

[0051] Support pattern B is selected when the road surface is paved, free from snow, puddles, and ice, or when there is snow or puddles but no ice. In support pattern B, there are no restrictions on driving on ruts 11 that extend in the direction of travel. In other words, the same driving assistance is provided as when there are no ruts 11 on the road surface. However, a predetermined second upper speed limit may be set depending on the depth D and width W of the ruts 11.

[0052] Support pattern C is selected when the road surface is unpaved, has snow or puddles, and is frozen. In support pattern C, a predetermined first upper limit speed is set for rutting. The first upper limit speed may be, for example, 30 km / h or 40 km / h. Also, if the ruts 11 intersect the direction of travel, i.e., the target track, the driving control unit 57 sets a predetermined third upper limit speed. The third upper limit speed may be the same value as the first upper limit speed, or it may be a larger value than the first upper limit speed.

[0053] Support pattern D is selected when the road surface is unpaved, with no snow, puddles, or ice, or when there is snow or puddles but no ice. In support pattern D, there are no restrictions on driving on ruts 11 that extend in the direction of travel. In other words, the same driving assistance is provided as when there are no ruts 11 on the road surface. However, a predetermined second upper speed limit may be set according to the roughness (level of roughness) of the road surface of the unpaved road. This second upper speed limit may be set to the same value as the second upper speed limit in support pattern B, or it may be set to a different value.

[0054] The mode setting unit 58 is configured to allow the driving mode to be changed. The driving modes include a manual driving mode, a driving assistance mode, and a driving assistance mode while stationary. The driving assistance mode includes an automated driving level 1 mode, an automated driving level 2 mode, an automated driving level 3 mode, an accelerator pedal override mode (hereinafter referred to as APOR mode), etc. The automated driving level 1 mode is a mode in which the degree of driving tasks imposed on the driver is greater than that of the automated driving level 2 mode, or in which the degree of assistance to the driver's driving is less. The automated driving level 2 mode is a mode in which the degree of driving tasks imposed on the driver is greater than that of the automated driving level 3 mode, or in which the degree of assistance to the driver's driving is less. The driving assistance mode includes a start-up standby mode and a stop-hold mode. The driving mode transitions according to the occupant's operation, the state of the vehicle 2, and the occupant's state.

[0055] In manual driving mode, the driving control unit 57 controls the vehicle 2 based on the driver's driving operations. Specifically, in manual driving mode, the driving control unit 57 obtains the amount of operation of the brake pedal 24 from the brake pedal 24 and controls the braking system 4 based on the amount of operation of the brake pedal 24. In addition, in manual driving mode, the driving control unit 57 obtains the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal 23 from the accelerator pedal 23 and controls the propulsion system 3 based on the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal 23. In addition, in manual driving mode, the driving control unit 57 obtains the amount of operation of the steering wheel 22 from the steering wheel 22 and controls the steering system 5 based on the amount of operation of the steering wheel 22.

[0056] The driving assistance mode can be set while the vehicle 2 is in motion. When LKAS is selected in the driving assistance mode, the driving control unit 57 performs lane keeping assistance control to drive the vehicle 2 along the lane. Lane information is included in the surrounding conditions recognized by the surrounding conditions recognition unit 51.

[0057] Furthermore, when ACC is selected in the driving assistance mode, the driving control unit 57 controls the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle 2 according to the surrounding conditions, in addition to controlling the LKAS as described above. In other embodiments, the control of ACC and LKAS may be performed independently. The surrounding conditions include, for example, a vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle 2. In the driving assistance mode, the driving control unit 57 controls the propulsion system 3 and the braking system 4 to maintain a distance of at least a predetermined value between the vehicle 2 and the vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle 2, and to maintain the vehicle speed at a target speed within a range in which the distance can be maintained. The driving control unit 57 acquires the position and speed of the vehicle ahead based on the surrounding conditions acquired by the surrounding conditions recognition unit 51. The target speed may be set by the driver. The target speed may be set by the driver's operation on the display device 31 or operation switches. In addition, in the driving assistance mode, the driving control unit 57 may control the propulsion system 3 and the braking system 4 based on the signal information of traffic lights and sign information acquired by the surrounding conditions recognition unit 51.

[0058] APOR mode is set when the driving mode is in driver assistance mode and the accelerator pedal 23 is pressed. In APOR mode, the driving control unit 57 controls the propulsion system 3 based on the amount the accelerator pedal 23 is pressed. This enables the vehicle 2 to accelerate in response to the driver's accelerator pedal operation.

[0059] In driving assistance mode, when the vehicle in front slows down and stops, the driving control unit 57 maintains a safe distance from the vehicle in front and stops the vehicle 2. In addition, in driving assistance mode, the driving control unit 57 may acquire traffic signal information and stop the vehicle 2 at the stop line according to the traffic signal information.

[0060] Furthermore, if LKAS is selected in the driver assistance mode, the driving control unit 57 performs lane keeping assistance control to drive the vehicle 2 along the lane, in addition to the ACC described above. The driving control unit 57 performs driving control based on the determination results of the driver state determination unit 53 and the determination results of the road surface state determination unit 54.

[0061] The notification unit 59 notifies the driver via the HMI 19 when the driver status determination unit 53 determines that the driver's condition is abnormal, or when the road surface condition determination unit 54 determines that the road surface is unsuitable for driving.

[0062] The driving control unit 57 executes emergency control to ensure the safety of the vehicle 2 and the driver when the driver status determination unit 53 determines that the driver is abnormal. Emergency control is executed regardless of the driving level or the driving state of the vehicle 2. For example, emergency control is executed when the vehicle 2 is stopped, driving, when ACC or KLAS is running, or when ACC and LKAS are running. Emergency control takes precedence over driving operations by the driver and driving assistance control performed by the driving control unit 57, and is performed as follows: When a driver abnormality is determined, the notification unit 59 notifies the occupants inside the vehicle, and the driving control unit 57 executes acceleration suppression and lane keeping controls for the vehicle 2. If the driver abnormality continues, the driver status determination unit 53 confirms the driver abnormality, the notification unit 59 sends an external notification to the outside of the vehicle, and the driving control unit 57 executes deceleration and lane change controls for the vehicle 2, bringing the vehicle 2 to a stop in the driving lane or on the shoulder of the road. After stopping vehicle 2, the notification unit 59 contacts hospitals and other relevant parties, and the driving control unit 57 performs stop-holding control.

[0063] Next, an example of the driver assistance control procedure performed by the vehicle control device 1 will be described. Here, we will describe the case where Level 1 or 2 automated driving control is being performed.

[0064] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure for driver assistance control by the vehicle control device 1. When the ignition switch of the vehicle 2 is turned on, the vehicle control device 1 starts the vehicle control shown in Figure 5. First, the vehicle control device 1 acquires external information (ST1). Specifically, the vehicle control device 1 acquires external information of the vehicle 2 from the output of the external recognition device 7, which includes the lidar 9 and the external camera 10, and the external environment information acquisition device 14, which includes the outside temperature sensor 20 and the weather information acquisition device 21.

[0065] Subsequently, the vehicle control device 1 makes a first determination (ST2). Specifically, the vehicle control device 1 determines whether the road surface is drivable or not based on the output of the lidar 9 and the external camera 10. If the road surface is not drivable (ST2: No), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST8. If the road surface is drivable (ST2: Yes), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST3.

[0066] In step ST3, the vehicle control device 1 performs the 2-1 determination. Specifically, the vehicle control device 1 determines the type of road surface based on the output of the external camera 10 which detects the condition of the road surface. The vehicle control device 1 also determines the roughness of the road surface based on the output of the external camera 10 (especially when the road surface is unpaved). If the road surface is paved (asphalt / concrete), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST4. If the road surface is unpaved (gravel / dirt), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST5.

[0067] In steps ST4 and ST5, the vehicle control device 1 performs the 2-2 determination. Specifically, the vehicle control device 1 determines the condition of the road surface (presence or absence of snow and presence or absence of puddles) based on the output of the external camera 10. The determination algorithms for when the road surface is paved (ST4) and when the road surface is unpaved (ST5) may be different from or the same from each other.

[0068] In step ST4, if it is determined that there is at least one of snow and / or puddles on the paved road (Yes), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST6. In step ST4, if it is determined that there is neither snow nor / or puddles on the paved road (No), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST10.

[0069] In step ST5, if it is determined that there is at least one of snow and / or puddles on the unpaved road (Yes), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST7. In step ST4, if it is determined that there is neither snow nor / or puddles on the unpaved road (No), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST12.

[0070] In steps ST6 and ST7, the vehicle control device 1 performs a third determination. Specifically, the vehicle control device 1 determines whether or not there is ice on the road surface based on external environmental information of the vehicle 2, including at least the output of the outside temperature sensor 20. The determination algorithms for when the road surface is paved (ST6) and when the road surface is unpaved (ST7) may be different from or the same from each other.

[0071] If the vehicle control device 1 determines in step ST6 that there is ice on the paved road (Yes), it proceeds to step ST9. If the vehicle control device 1 determines in step ST6 that there is no ice on the paved road (No), it proceeds to step ST10.

[0072] If step ST7 determines that there is ice on the unpaved road (Yes), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST11. If step ST7 determines that there is no ice on the unpaved road (No), the vehicle control device 1 proceeds to step ST12.

[0073] In step ST8, the vehicle control device 1 stops the driver assistance control while the vehicle 2 is in motion. That is, the vehicle control device 1 stops the driver assistance control regardless of the determination result of the type and condition of the road surface performed in the second determination (ST3 to ST5).

[0074] In step ST9, the vehicle control device 1 controls the vehicle 2 by executing the driving support control of support pattern A. Specifically, the vehicle control device 1 stops (prohibits) rutting and assists the vehicle 2 in driving while avoiding the ruts 11. If it is not possible to offset the target trajectory, the driving control unit 57 stops the driving support control and transfers authority to the driver.

[0075] In step ST10, the vehicle control device 1 controls the vehicle 2 by executing the driving support control of support pattern B. Specifically, the vehicle control device 1 executes the driving support control without imposing any restrictions on rutting. In other words, the vehicle control device 1 provides the same driving support as when there are no ruts 11 on the road surface. However, the vehicle control device 1 may set a predetermined second upper speed limit according to the depth D and width W of the ruts 11.

[0076] In step ST11, the vehicle control device 1 controls the vehicle 2 by executing the driving support control of support pattern C. Specifically, the vehicle control device 1 sets a predetermined first upper limit speed for rutting. The first upper limit speed may be, for example, 30 km / h or 40 km / h. In addition, if the rut 11 is located so as to intersect with the direction of travel, i.e., the target trajectory, the vehicle control device 1 sets a predetermined third upper limit speed. The third upper limit speed may be the same value as the first upper limit speed, or it may be a larger value than the first upper limit speed.

[0077] In step ST12, the vehicle control device 1 controls the vehicle 2 by executing the driving assistance control of assistance pattern D. Specifically, the vehicle control device 1 executes the driving assistance control without imposing any restrictions on driving. In other words, the vehicle control device 1 provides the same driving assistance as when there are no ruts 11 on the road surface. However, the vehicle control device 1 may set a predetermined second upper speed limit according to the roughness (level of roughness) of the road surface of the unpaved road.

[0078] According to the vehicle control device 1 of this embodiment that performs driving assistance control, the vehicle 2 can be made to travel along the appropriate route according to the conditions of the road surface, thereby giving the driver a sense of security.

[0079] The above embodiment is configured as follows.

[0080] The vehicle control device 1 includes a road surface condition determination unit 54 that determines the condition of the road surface in front of the vehicle 2, and a driving control unit 57 that performs driving support control to control the driving of the vehicle 2 in order to assist in driving the vehicle 2. The road surface condition determination unit 54 performs a first determination (ST2) that determines whether the road surface is drivable based on the output of a lidar 9, which is a first detection means for detecting irregularities on the road surface, and an external camera 10; a second determination (ST3 to ST5) that determines the type and condition of the road surface (paved road (asphalt / concrete), unpaved road (gravel road / dirt road)) based on the output of an external camera 10, which is a second detection means for detecting the condition of the road surface; and a third determination (ST6, ST7) that determines whether the road surface is frozen based on the output of an external environment information acquisition device 14, which is a third detection means for detecting external environment information of the vehicle 2, including at least the outside air temperature. The driving control unit 57 is configured to determine whether or not to continue driving based on at least one of the determination results, including the determination result of the first determination (ST2), from among the determination results of the first determination (ST2), the determination results of the second determinations (ST3 to ST5), and the determination results of the third determinations (ST6, ST7), and to execute driving support control (ST8 to ST12) according to whether or not to continue driving.

[0081] According to this embodiment, by performing driving assistance control based on the determination result of a first determination based on at least the output of the first detection means, driving assistance control can be performed to appropriately follow the route whether the road surface is drivable or not. In this way, appropriate driving assistance according to the road surface conditions is provided during driving control, which gives the driver a sense of security and improves usability.

[0082] The road surface irregularities include rut information, which includes the width W, depth D, and side inclination angle θ of the ruts 11. The road surface condition determination unit 54 determines in the first determination (ST2) whether the road surface is drivable based on the rut information. If it determines in the first determination (ST2) that the road surface is drivable (Yes), it determines the type of road surface in the second determination (ST3 to ST5). If the driving control unit 57 determines in the first determination (ST2) that the road surface is not drivable (No), it stops the driving support control (ST8) regardless of the determination result in the second determination (ST3 to ST5).

[0083] According to this embodiment, if it is determined that the vehicle is unable to move based on the output of the first detection means for detecting irregularities in the road surface, driving assistance control can be stopped regardless of the type and condition of the road surface, thereby ensuring driving safety.

[0084] In the second determination (ST3 to ST5), the road surface condition determination unit 54 determines whether the road surface is paved or not (ST3), and further determines whether there is snow or puddles on the road surface (ST4, ST5). If the second determination (ST4, ST5) determines that there is snow or puddles in the ruts 11 (Yes), the third determination (ST6, ST7) determines whether the road surface is frozen. If the second determination (ST4, ST5) determines that there is no snow or puddles in the ruts 11 (No), the driving control unit 57 does not impose any restrictions on driving on the ruts 11 (ST10, ST12) (driving on the ruts 11 as usual).

[0085] According to this configuration, even if there is snow or puddles, if the road surface is not frozen, the vehicle 2 can be driven in the same way as under normal conditions, with the wheels passing over the ruts 11.

[0086] If the third determination (ST6, ST7) determines that the road surface is frozen (Yes), the driving control unit 57 stops rutting (ST9) or sets a predetermined first upper speed limit for rutting (ST11). If the third determination (ST6, ST7) determines that the road surface is not frozen (No), no restrictions are placed on rutting (ST10, ST12).

[0087] According to this embodiment, when there is no ice on the road surface, the vehicle 2 is driven in the same way as under normal conditions, with the wheels passing over the ruts 11. However, when there is ice on the road surface, the vehicle 2 can stop traveling in the ruts, or a predetermined first upper speed limit can be set for traveling in the ruts, thereby suppressing vehicle 2 from slipping. This provides the driver with a sense of security and improves usability.

[0088] In the second determination (ST3), the road surface condition determination unit 54 further determines the roughness of the road surface, and if the third determination (ST6, ST7) determines that there is no ice on the road surface (No), the driving control unit 57 sets a predetermined second upper speed limit for driving that includes driving in ruts, based on the depth of the ruts 11 and the roughness of the road surface (especially on unpaved roads) (ST12).

[0089] According to this embodiment, since the surface roughness of unpaved roads varies greatly, the vehicle 2 can be driven appropriately according to the situation by driving it at a speed below the appropriate second upper limit speed corresponding to the surface roughness.

[0090] The vehicle control device 1 further includes an action planning unit 56 that plans the actions of the vehicle 2, including a target trajectory, according to the determination result of the road surface condition determination unit 54. The vehicle 2 is a wheeled vehicle equipped with wheels, the ruts 11 extend along the target trajectory of the vehicle 2, and if the road surface condition determination unit 54 determines in the first determination (ST2) that the ruts 11 are drivable (Yes), in the second determination that there is pavement (ST3:Yes) and there is snow or puddles (ST4:Yes), and in the third determination that the road surface is frozen (ST6:Yes), the action planning unit 56 offsets the target trajectory to a position where the wheels do not make contact with the ruts 11 (ST9).

[0091] According to this embodiment, a target trajectory is generated for avoiding ruts 11 when driving in ruts is dangerous. This makes it possible to suppress slippage caused by driving in ruts while driving in a lane along the route.

[0092] The vehicle control device 1 further includes an action planning unit 56 that plans the actions of the vehicle 2, including a target trajectory, according to the determination result of the road surface condition determination unit 54. If the ruts 11 extend so as to intersect the target trajectory of the vehicle 2, and the road surface condition determination unit 54 determines in the first determination (ST2) that the ruts 11 are drivable, in the second determination (ST3 to ST5) that there is pavement and snow or puddles, and in the third determination (ST6, ST7) that the road surface is frozen (Yes), the action planning unit 56 sets a predetermined third upper speed limit for driving (ST9, ST11).

[0093] According to this embodiment, in situations where the ruts 11 extend so as to intersect the target trajectory of the vehicle 2, setting a predetermined third upper speed limit for rut driving when the road surface is frozen can suppress the vehicle 2 from slipping when passing over the ruts 11. This provides the driver with a sense of security and improves usability.

[0094] The vehicle control method of this embodiment involves a computer performing a road surface condition determination to determine the condition of the road surface in front of the vehicle 2, and then performing driving support control to control the driving of the vehicle 2 in order to assist in driving the vehicle 2. In the road surface condition determination, the computer performs a first determination (ST2) to determine whether the road surface is drivable based on the output of a first detection means, a lidar 9, and an external camera 10, which detect irregularities on the road surface; a second determination (ST3 to ST5) to determine the type and condition of the road surface (paved road (asphalt / concrete), unpaved road (gravel road / dirt road)) based on the output of an external camera 10, which is a second detection means that detects the condition of the road surface; and a third determination (ST6, ST7) to determine whether the road surface is frozen based on the output of an external environment information acquisition device 14, which is a third detection means that detects external environment information of the vehicle 2, including at least the outside air temperature. In driving control, the computer determines whether to continue driving based on at least one of the judgment results, including the judgment result of the first judgment (ST2), from among the judgment results of the first judgment (ST2), the judgment results of the second judgments (ST3 to ST5), and the judgment results of the third judgments (ST6, ST7), and executes driving support control according to whether or not to continue driving.

[0095] In this embodiment as well, by performing driving assistance control based on the determination result of the first determination based on at least the output of the first detection means, driving assistance control can be performed to appropriately follow the route whether the road surface is drivable or not. In this way, appropriate driving assistance according to the road surface conditions is provided during driving control, which gives the driver a sense of security and improves usability.

[0096] The vehicle control program of this embodiment causes the computer to perform road surface condition determination, which determines the condition of the road surface in front of the vehicle 2, and driving control, which performs driving support control to control the driving of the vehicle 2 in order to assist in driving the vehicle 2. The vehicle control program causes the computer to perform, in road surface condition determination, a first determination (ST2) which determines whether the road surface is drivable based on the output of the lidar 9 and the external camera 10, which are first detection means for detecting irregularities on the road surface; a second determination (ST3 to ST5) which determines the type and condition of the road surface (paved road (asphalt / concrete), unpaved road (gravel road / dirt road)) based on the output of the external camera 10, which is a second detection means for detecting the condition of the road surface; and a third determination (ST6, ST7) which determines whether the road surface is frozen based on the output of the external environment information acquisition device 14, which is a third detection means for detecting external environment information of the vehicle 2, including at least the outside air temperature. The vehicle control program instructs the computer to determine whether or not to continue driving based on at least one of the following judgment results in driving control: the result of the first judgment (ST2), the result of the second judgments (ST3 to ST5), and the result of the third judgments (ST6, ST7), including the result of the first judgment (ST2). The program then executes driver assistance control according to whether or not to continue driving.

[0097] In this embodiment as well, by performing driving assistance control based on the determination result of the first determination based on at least the output of the first detection means, driving assistance control can be performed to appropriately follow the route whether the road surface is drivable or not. In this way, appropriate driving assistance according to the road surface conditions is provided during driving control, which gives the driver a sense of security and improves usability.

[0098] This concludes the description of specific embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiments and can be broadly modified and implemented. For example, in the above embodiments, an example was shown where vehicle 2 is a wheeled vehicle, but vehicle 2 may be a tracked vehicle equipped with a continuous track. In addition, the specific configuration, arrangement, quantity, material of each member and part, the specific content and order of each process, etc., can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, not all of the components shown in the above embodiments are necessarily essential and can be selected as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1: Vehicle control system 2: Vehicles 7: External world recognition device 9: LIDA (first detection means, second detection means) 10: External camera (second detection means) 11: Tracks 20: Outdoor temperature sensor (third detection means) 21: Weather information acquisition device (third detection means) 54: Road surface condition determination unit 56: Action Planning Department 57: Driving Control Unit

Claims

1. A vehicle control device, A road surface condition determination unit that determines the condition of the road surface in front of the vehicle, The system includes a driving control unit that performs driving assistance control to support the driving of the vehicle and controls the movement of the vehicle, The road surface condition determination unit is: Based on the output of the first detection means for detecting irregularities on the road surface, a first determination is made to determine whether or not the road surface is drivable. A second determination is made to determine the type and state of the road surface based on the output of the second detection means for detecting the state of the road surface, A third determination is performed, which determines whether or not the road surface is frozen based on the output of a third detection means that detects external environmental information of the vehicle, including at least the outside air temperature. The vehicle control device comprises a driving control unit which determines whether or not to continue driving based on at least one determination result, including the determination result of the first determination, from among the determination result of the first determination, the determination result of the second determination, and the determination result of the third determination, and executes the driving support control according to whether or not to continue driving.

2. The aforementioned irregularities on the road surface include rut information, including the width, depth, and lateral inclination angle of the ruts. The road surface condition determination unit is: In the first determination, it is determined whether the road surface is drivable based on the rut information, If the first determination determines that it is possible to drive, the second determination determines the type of the road surface, The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the driving control unit, if it is determined in the first determination that the road surface is unsuitable for driving, stops the driving assistance control regardless of the determination result of the second determination.

3. The road surface condition determination unit is: In the second determination, the presence or absence of pavement is determined as the type of the road surface, and further, the presence or absence of snow or puddles on the road surface is determined. If the second determination determines that there is snow or puddles in the ruts, the third determination determines whether or not the road surface is frozen. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the driving control unit does not impose any restrictions on driving on the ruts if it is determined in the second determination that there is no snow or puddle in the ruts.

4. The aforementioned driving control unit, If the third determination determines that the road surface is frozen, the rutting will be stopped, or a predetermined first upper speed limit will be set for the rutting. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein if it is determined in the third determination that there is no ice on the road surface, no restriction is placed on rutting.

5. In the second determination, the road surface condition determination unit further determines the roughness of the road surface, The vehicle control device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the driving control unit, when it is determined in the third determination that there is no freezing on the driving surface, sets a predetermined second upper limit speed for the driving including driving in the ruts, based on the depth of the ruts and the roughness of the driving surface.

6. The vehicle further comprises an action planning unit that plans the vehicle's actions, including a target trajectory, according to the determination result of the road surface condition determination unit, The aforementioned vehicle is a wheeled vehicle equipped with wheels, The vehicle control device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the ruts extend along the target trajectory of the vehicle, and the road surface condition determination unit determines in the first determination that the ruts are traversable, determines in the second determination that there is pavement and snow or puddles, and determines in the third determination that there is ice on the road surface, the action planning unit offsets the target trajectory to a position where the wheels do not make contact with the ruts.

7. The vehicle further comprises an action planning unit that plans the vehicle's actions, including a target trajectory, according to the determination result of the road surface condition determination unit, The vehicle control device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the ruts extend so as to intersect the target trajectory of the vehicle, and the road surface condition determination unit determines in the first determination that the ruts are drivable, determines in the second determination that there is pavement and snow or puddles, and determines in the third determination that there is ice on the road surface, the action planning unit sets a predetermined third upper limit speed for the driving.

8. A vehicle control method, Computers The road surface condition is determined to assess the condition of the road surface in front of the vehicle. In order to assist in the operation of the said vehicle, driving control is performed by executing driving assistance control to control the movement of the said vehicle, In the aforementioned road surface condition determination, Based on the output of the first detection means for detecting irregularities on the road surface, a first determination is made to determine whether or not the road surface is drivable. A second determination is made to determine the type and state of the road surface based on the output of the second detection means for detecting the state of the road surface, A third determination is performed, which determines whether or not the road surface is frozen based on the output of a third detection means that detects external environmental information of the vehicle, including at least the outside air temperature. A vehicle control method comprising: determining whether to continue driving based on at least one determination result, including the determination result of the first determination, among the determination result of the first determination and the determination result of the third determination, in the driving control described above; and executing the driving support control according to whether to continue driving.

9. There is a vehicle control program, On the computer, Road surface condition determination determines the condition of the road surface in front of the vehicle, To assist in the operation of the said vehicle, the system performs driving control, which includes driving assistance control to control the vehicle's movement. In the aforementioned road surface condition determination, Based on the output of the first detection means for detecting irregularities on the road surface, a first determination is made to determine whether or not the road surface is drivable. A second determination is made to determine the type and state of the road surface based on the output of the second detection means for detecting the state of the road surface, A third determination is performed, which determines whether or not the road surface is frozen based on the output of a third detection means that detects external environmental information of the vehicle, including at least the outside air temperature. A vehicle control program that, in the driving control described above, determines whether or not to continue driving based on at least one determination result, including the determination result of the first determination, among the determination result of the first determination and the determination result of the third determination, and executes the driving support control according to whether or not to continue driving.

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