Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

Abstract

To properly control the vehicle. [Solution] The vehicle control device comprises a first sensor provided around the vehicle to detect the area around the vehicle, a second sensor provided around the vehicle to detect the area around the vehicle, and a control unit for controlling the vehicle. The first sensor is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor, and the second sensor has higher accuracy in detecting conditions in the vicinity than the first sensor. In vehicle control to decelerate and stop the vehicle, the control unit prioritizes the detection result of the first sensor and executes the vehicle control if the vehicle's speed is above a predetermined speed, and prioritizes the detection result of the second sensor and executes the vehicle control if the vehicle's speed is below the predetermined speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide a sustainable transportation system that takes various situations into consideration have been active. Toward this realization, research and development focused on further improving traffic safety and convenience through research and development related to driving support technology. For example, a travel control device is known that sets a travel route for automatically driving a host vehicle to the roadside as a target travel route using the travel environment information detected last before the acquisition of travel environment information related to the travel environment in which the host vehicle is traveling becomes abnormal, and executes retreat control to retreat the host vehicle to the roadside automatically (see, for example, Patent Document 1). When this travel control device detects an object around the host vehicle, it executes retreat control using the object information around the host vehicle, the travel environment information detected last before the acquisition of travel environment information becomes abnormal, and the travel information of the host vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the conventional technology, there were cases where the vehicle could not be controlled appropriately.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and one of its purposes is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program that can appropriately control a vehicle. Subsequently, it contributes to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The control device, control method, and program according to this invention employ the following configuration. (1) A vehicle control device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a first sensor provided around a vehicle for detecting the area around the vehicle, a second sensor provided around the vehicle for detecting the area around the vehicle, and a control unit for controlling the vehicle, wherein the first sensor is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor, and the second sensor has higher accuracy in detecting conditions in the vicinity than the first sensor, and in vehicle control to decelerate and stop the vehicle, the control unit executes the vehicle control by prioritizing the detection result of the first sensor if the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined speed, and by prioritizing the detection result of the second sensor if the speed of the vehicle is below the predetermined speed.

[0007] (2): In the embodiment of (1) above, the second sensor is a sensor that detects the surroundings of the vehicle when the vehicle is parked or exiting the parking lot.

[0008] (3) In the embodiment of (1) above, the second sensor detects a region to the side of the direction of travel of the vehicle, and the control unit controls the steering of the vehicle to move it laterally to a region in which the vehicle can move laterally, based on the detection result of the second sensor, in vehicle control that slows down and stops the vehicle.

[0009] (4) In the embodiment of (3) above, if there is a vehicle ahead which is a vehicle in the direction of travel of the vehicle, the control unit controls the longitudinal position of the vehicle in the vehicle control based on the information of the vehicle ahead included in the detection result of the first sensor, and also performs a first lateral movement control in the vehicle control to move the vehicle laterally based on the detection result of the second sensor.

[0010] (5) In the embodiment of (3) above, the control unit moves the vehicle laterally and, based on the position after the lateral movement, performs a second lateral movement control to move the vehicle further to a lateral region in which the vehicle can move, which has been searched based on the detection results of the second sensor.

[0011] (6) In the embodiment of (1) above, the control unit stops the vehicle after a predetermined time has elapsed or after the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance.

[0012] (7) In the embodiment of (1) above, the control unit starts vehicle control when an abnormality occurs in the driver of the vehicle.

[0013] (8) In the embodiment of (1) above, the control unit starts vehicle control when an abnormality occurs in the vehicle or the driver of the vehicle, and if the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined speed, it prioritizes the result of detection by the first sensor and executes the vehicle control, and uses the result of detection by the first sensor to search for a candidate stopping area in which to stop the vehicle, and if the speed of the vehicle is below the predetermined speed, it prioritizes the result of detection by the second sensor and executes the vehicle control to move the vehicle laterally to the candidate stopping area or the vicinity of the candidate stopping area.

[0014] (9): A vehicle control device according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a first sensor provided around a vehicle for detecting the area around the vehicle, a second sensor provided around the vehicle for detecting the area around the vehicle, and a control unit for controlling the vehicle, wherein the first sensor is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor, the second sensor has higher accuracy in detecting conditions in the vicinity than the first sensor, and the control unit, in vehicle control that decelerates and stops the vehicle when an abnormality occurs in the vehicle or the driver of the vehicle, lowers the priority of using the detection results of the first sensor and increases the priority of using the detection results of the second sensor in accordance with the decrease in the vehicle's speed after the start of the vehicle control, or in accordance with the elapsed time since the start of the vehicle control, recognizes the area around the vehicle, and stops the vehicle based on the results of the recognition.

[0015] (12): In another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle control method in which a computer slows down and stops a vehicle, if the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined speed, the results of detection by the first sensor are given priority and the vehicle control is executed; if the speed of the vehicle is below the predetermined speed, the results of detection by the second sensor are given priority and the vehicle control is executed; the first sensor is provided around the vehicle and detects the area around the vehicle and is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor; the second sensor is provided around the vehicle and detects the area around the vehicle and is capable of detecting conditions in the vicinity of the vehicle with higher accuracy than the first sensor.

[0016] (11): A program according to another aspect of the present invention causes a computer to perform the following in a vehicle control operation to decelerate and stop a vehicle: if the speed of the vehicle is above a predetermined speed, the computer prioritizes the detection result of the first sensor and performs the vehicle control operation; and if the speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined speed, the computer prioritizes the detection result of the second sensor and performs the vehicle control operation. The first sensor is provided around the vehicle and detects the area around the vehicle, and is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor. The second sensor is provided around the vehicle and detects the area around the vehicle, and is capable of detecting conditions in the vicinity of the vehicle with higher accuracy than the first sensor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] (1)-(11) According to the aspect, the vehicle control device, the vehicle control method, or the program can appropriately control the vehicle by changing the detection result of the sensor preferentially used according to the speed. For example, since the detection result of an appropriate sensor is used according to the speed, appropriate vehicle control can be realized using this detection result.

[0018] (2) According to the aspect, since the second sensor is a sensor used when the vehicle parks or departs, appropriate vehicle control can be realized without separately providing a sensor for vehicle control.

[0019] (3) According to the aspect, in order to move the vehicle laterally using the detection result of the second sensor that can accurately detect the area on the side of the vehicle, more appropriate vehicle control can be realized.

[0020] (4) According to the aspect, the position of the vehicle in the front-rear direction is more appropriately controlled using the detection result of the first sensor that can accurately detect the vehicle ahead.

[0021] (5) According to the aspect, after the vehicle moves laterally, by using the detection result of the second sensor that can more accurately detect the side of the vehicle and further moving the vehicle laterally, the vehicle can be moved to a more appropriate position.

[0022] (6) According to the aspect, the vehicle control device can stop the vehicle at an appropriate position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a configuration diagram of the vehicle system 1 using the vehicle control system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] An example of the arrangement configuration of each sensor will be described. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of the second detection range AR of the surround camera 17, MVC 18, and sonar 19 (second sensor group). [Figure 4] This is a diagram for explaining the process executed by the driving support device 100. [Figure 5] This is a diagram for explaining an example of priority switching. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the process executed by the driving support device 100.

Embodiment for Implementing the Invention

[0024] [Overall Configuration] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 using a vehicle control system according to an embodiment. The vehicle on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, four-wheeled, or other vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using the electric power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or the discharge power of a secondary battery or a fuel cell. Although this embodiment is described as being applied to a vehicle, it may be applied to other moving bodies instead of the vehicle.

[0025] The vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a surround camera 17, an MVC (Multi View Camera) 18, a sonar 19, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a driver monitor camera 42, a navigation device 50, an MPU 60, an operator 80, a driving support device 100, a traveling driving force output device 200, a brake device 210, a steering device 220, and an emergency notification SW (switch) 230. These devices and apparatuses are connected to each other by a multiplex communication line such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, or the like. The configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and a part of the configuration may be omitted, or another configuration may be added. The driving support device 100 is an example of a “control device”.

[0026] Camera 10 is a digital camera that utilizes a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). Camera 10 is mounted at any location on the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as vehicle M) on which the vehicle system 1 is installed. When imaging the area in front, camera 10 is mounted on the top of the front windshield, behind the rearview mirror, etc. Camera 10 periodically and repeatedly images the area around vehicle M. Camera 10 may also be a stereo camera.

[0027] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle M and detects radio waves reflected by objects (reflected waves) to determine at least the position (distance and bearing) of the object. The radar device 12 can be mounted at any location on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 may also detect the position and velocity of the object using the FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0028] LIDAR14 irradiates light (or electromagnetic waves with a wavelength close to light) around vehicle M and measures the scattered light. Based on the time from emission to reception, LIDAR14 detects the distance to the target. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. LIDAR14 can be attached to any location on vehicle M.

[0029] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the cameras 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc., of an object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the driver assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the cameras 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 directly to the driver assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle system 1. The object recognition device 16 may recognize objects using information from the surround camera 17, MVC 18, or sonar 19.

[0030] The surround camera 17 is a camera installed around the vehicle body (the main body of vehicle M), including the left, right, and rear. The surround camera 17 may be a digital camera using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, or it may be a stereo camera. The surround camera 17 acquires images of the area including the sides and rear of vehicle M, at least a few meters away from the left, right, and rear (including above vehicle M). The surround camera 17 may also acquire images of the entire surroundings of vehicle M, including images captured by camera 10.

[0031] The MVC18 is a camera installed on the front, rear, left, and right sides of the vehicle. The MVC18 may be a digital camera using a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, or it may be a stereo camera. The MVC18 may also be a wide-angle camera such as a fisheye camera (a camera with a wider field of view than the surround camera 17 or camera 10). The MVC18 acquires peripheral images of the area around the vehicle M (mainly near the ground). The MVC18 captures images of areas that are blind spots for the driver of the vehicle M, for example.

[0032] The sonar 19 emits ultrasonic waves around the vehicle M and detects the distance to an object, its position, etc., by detecting reflection or scattering from an object within a predetermined distance from the vehicle M. Multiple sonar 19 units are installed at arbitrary locations on the vehicle M.

[0033] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of vehicle M, or with various server devices via a wireless base station, for example, by using a cellular network, Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth®, DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc.

[0034] The HMI30 presents various information to the occupants of vehicle M and accepts input operations from the occupants. The HMI30 includes various display devices, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, keys, etc. The HMI30 is equipped with a display device. The display device is a display device, also known as a multi-information display, that displays various information in vehicle M, such as a speedometer that shows the vehicle's speed or a tachometer that shows the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine in vehicle M.

[0035] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration, a yaw rate sensor for detecting angular velocity around the vertical axis, and an orientation sensor for detecting the orientation of the vehicle M.

[0036] The driver monitoring camera 42 is a camera that captures images of the driver of vehicle M. The driver monitoring camera 42 is mounted in a position inside the vehicle M that captures images of the driver from the front.

[0037] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be determined or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that utilizes the output of the vehicle sensors 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, speakers, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may be partially or completely shared with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter referred to as the route on the map) from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to the destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52, by referring to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is, for example, information in which the road shape is represented by links indicating roads and nodes connected by those links. The first map information 54 may also include information such as road curvature and POI (Point of Interest) information. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be implemented, for example, by the functions of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet held by an occupant. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current location and destination to the navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0038] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61 and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the map route provided by the navigation device 50 into multiple blocks (for example, every 100m with respect to the vehicle's direction of travel) and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 makes decisions such as which lane from the left the vehicle should travel in. If there is a branching point on the map route, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel along a reasonable route to proceed to the branching point. For example, if the vehicle M reaches a predetermined distance before a branching road it is traveling on, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the lane connecting to the branching road as the recommended lane. The recommended lane determination unit 61 and the second map information 62 may be functional units or information included in other devices such as the driver assistance device 100. The driver assistance system 100 recommends to the driver that vehicle M move to a recommended lane, or automatically moves vehicle M.

[0039] The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes or information on lane boundaries. The second map information 62 may also include road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices.

[0040] The control element 80 includes, for example, a steering wheel, as well as an accelerator pedal, brake pedal, shift lever, and other control elements. The control element 80 is equipped with a sensor that detects the amount of operation or whether or not an operation is performed, and the detection result is output to the driver assistance device 100, or to some or all of the driving force output device 200, brake device 210, and steering device 220. The steering wheel does not necessarily have to be annular in shape, and may take the form of an irregularly shaped steering wheel, a joystick, buttons, etc.

[0041] The driver assistance device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a driver assistance unit 130, and a storage unit 180. The recognition unit 110 and the driver assistance unit 130 are realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or SOC (System On Chip), or by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in the storage unit 180 (a storage device equipped with a non-transient storage medium) such as the HDD or flash memory of the driver assistance device 100, or it may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driver assistance device 100 when the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) is mounted on a drive device.

[0042] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the position and state, such as speed and acceleration, of objects around the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16, information from the surround camera 17, MVC 18, sonar 19, or some or all of these. The position of an object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive axis) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of an object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or it may be represented by a region. The "state" of an object may include the object's acceleration, jerk, or "action state" (for example, whether or not it is changing lanes).

[0043] The recognition unit 110 recognizes, for example, the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the driving lane by comparing the pattern of road markings (for example, an arrangement of solid and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with the pattern of road markings around the vehicle M recognized from the image captured by the camera 10. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the driving lane by recognizing not only road markings, but also road boundaries (road boundaries) including road markings, shoulders, curbs, median strips, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by INS may also be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 110 recognizes stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road events.

[0044] When recognizing a driving lane, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position and orientation of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the deviation of the vehicle M's reference point from the center of the lane, and the angle it makes with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the direction of travel, as the relative position and orientation of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the vehicle M's reference point relative to any side edge of the driving lane (road marking or road boundary), etc., as the relative position of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane.

[0045] The driver assistance unit 130 performs driver assistance control. For example, the driver assistance unit 130 automatically controls the driving force output device 200 and the brake device 210 without relying on the driver's operation to automatically control the speed of the vehicle M. The driver assistance unit 130 performs so-called ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control). The driver assistance unit 130 controls the vehicle M so that it travels at a set speed, or makes the vehicle M travel following the vehicle in front at a predetermined distance from the vehicle in front.

[0046] The driver assistance unit 130 controls the steering device 220 to prevent the vehicle M from deviating from its lane. For example, the driver assistance unit 130 controls the steering device 220 so that the vehicle M travels in the center or near the center of the lane recognized by the recognition unit 110. Hereinafter, this control may be referred to as "lane keeping control".

[0047] The driving force output device 200 outputs driving force (torque) to the drive wheels for the vehicle M to move. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, and an ECU that controls them. The ECU controls the above configuration according to information input from the driver assistance device 100 or from the operator 80.

[0048] The braking system 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the driver assistance device 100 or from the control element 80, so that brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel.

[0049] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor, for example, applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steering wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steering wheels according to information input from the driver assistance device 100 or from the control element 80.

[0050] The emergency call switch 230 is installed, for example, in a position accessible to the driver or passenger in the front seat of the vehicle M. The emergency call switch is installed, for example, on the ceiling between the driver's seat and the passenger seat inside the vehicle. The driver or passenger operates the emergency call switch if there is a problem with the driver or the vehicle M. The driver assistance device 100 controls the vehicle M so that it can stop safely based on the signal received in response to the operation.

[0051] [Sensor placement] An example of the arrangement configuration of each sensor will be described. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of each sensor in the embodiment. In the example in Figure 2, the vehicle M is equipped with two cameras 10a and 10b, five radar devices 12a to 12e, one LIDAR 14, five surround cameras 17a to 17e, four MVCs 18a to 18d, and twelve sonars 19a to 19l. Hereafter, unless each of the radar devices 12a to 12e is described individually, they will be referred to as "radar device 12". The same applies to cameras 10a and 10b, surround cameras 17a to 17e, MVCs 18a to 18d, and sonars 19a to 19l.

[0052] Cameras 10a and 10b are installed, for example, on the top of the front windshield or behind the rearview mirror, and capture images of the area including the front of the vehicle M. One of cameras 10a and 10b may be a telephoto camera capable of capturing images of distant areas. Alternatively, one of cameras 10a and 10b may be a main camera that operates under normal conditions, and the other may be a sub-camera that captures images when the main camera is unable to do so. The imaging ranges of cameras 10a and 10b may partially overlap.

[0053] Radar device 12a is installed near the front of the vehicle body and detects objects in front of the vehicle M. Radar device 12b is installed near the front left of the vehicle body and detects objects in front of the front left and to the left of the vehicle M. Radar device 12c is installed near the front right of the vehicle body and detects objects in front of the front right and to the right of the vehicle M. Radar device 12d is installed near the rear left of the vehicle body and detects objects in the rear left and to the left of the vehicle M. Radar device 12e is installed near the front right of the vehicle body and detects objects in front of the front right and to the right of the vehicle M. The detection ranges of radar devices 12a to 12e may be the same size. The detection ranges of radar devices 12a to 12e may partially overlap.

[0054] LIDAR14 is installed on the top of the vehicle (on the roof) and detects objects in the area including the area in front of vehicle M (X-axis direction in the diagram).

[0055] Surround cameras 17a and 17b are installed on the left side of the vehicle body (the main body of vehicle M) and capture images of the area including the left side of vehicle M (Y-axis direction in the figure). Surround cameras 17c and 17d are installed on the right side of the vehicle body and capture images of the area including the right side of vehicle M (Y-axis direction in the figure). Surround camera 17e is installed on the upper part of the rear windshield of vehicle M (near the roof) and captures images of the area including the rear of vehicle M (X-axis direction in the figure). Surround cameras 17a to 17e may have the same field of view (image range). The image ranges of surround cameras 17a to 17e may partially overlap.

[0056] MVC18a is installed at the front of the vehicle and captures an area including the front of vehicle M. MVC18b is installed near the left side mirror of vehicle M and captures an area including the left side of vehicle M. MVC18c is installed near the right side mirror of vehicle M and captures an area including the right side of vehicle M. MVC18d is installed at the rear of the vehicle and captures an area including the rear of vehicle M. The field of view of MVC18a to 18d may be the same size. The imaging ranges of MVC18a to 18d may partially overlap.

[0057] Sonars 19a to 19l are installed, for example, on bumpers at the front and rear ends of the vehicle body. Sonars 19a and 19b are installed at the front end of the vehicle body, sonars 19c and 19d are installed at the front end of the vehicle body, and sonars 19e and 19f are installed on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle body. Sonars 19g and 19h are installed on the left and right sides of the rear of the vehicle body, and sonars 19i, 19j, 19k, and 19l are installed at the rear end of the vehicle body. Sonars 19a to 19l detect objects present around the vehicle M. The detection ranges of sonars 19a to 19l may be the same size. The detection ranges of sonars 19a to 19l may partially overlap.

[0058] Note that the number and location of each sensor are not limited to the example in Figure 2. For example, depending on the grade, generation (version), and functions of vehicle M, at least some of the placement locations, the number of sensors, and some sensors may be added, removed, or of different types.

[0059] Figure 3 shows an example of a second detection range (AR) of surround camera 17, MVC 18, and sonar 19. Surround camera 17, MVC 18, sonar 19, or some or all of them, are examples of a "second sensor." The second sensor is an example of a "sensor that detects the area around the vehicle used when the vehicle is parked or exiting." Camera 10, radar device 12, LIDAR 14, or some or all of them, are examples of a "first sensor."

[0060] In the example shown in Figure 3, the second sensor has the same detection range, but it is not limited to this and different detection ranges may be set. The second sensor can, for example, mainly detect the vicinity of vehicle M, and its detection accuracy in the vicinity is higher than that of the first sensor, which will be described later. The second detection range AR can, for example, detect a range of 3 to 4 m from vehicle M with higher accuracy than the first sensor.

[0061] The first detection range of the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 may include the second detection range AR, or it may be a range different from the second detection range AR. The first detection range can detect a wider range than the second detection range AR, for example. For example, the first sensor can accurately detect the first detection range at a greater distance than the second sensor. The first sensor can detect, for example, mainly the area around the vehicle M at a distance, and its detection accuracy at a distance is higher than that of the second sensor. For example, the first sensor can detect an area at a distance of more than 3-4m from the vehicle M with greater accuracy than the second sensor.

[0062] [overview] For example, in vehicle control to decelerate and stop vehicle M, the driver assistance device 100 prioritizes the detection result of the first sensor and executes vehicle control if the speed of vehicle M is above a predetermined speed, and prioritizes the detection result of the second sensor and executes the vehicle control if the speed of vehicle M is below the predetermined speed. For example, the driver assistance device 100 starts vehicle control when an abnormality occurs in vehicle M or the driver of vehicle M, and if the speed of vehicle M is above a predetermined speed, it prioritizes the detection result of the first sensor and executes vehicle control, and also prioritizes using the detection result of the first sensor to search for a candidate stopping area to stop vehicle M, and if the speed of vehicle M is below the predetermined speed, it prioritizes the detection result of the second sensor and executes vehicle control to move vehicle M laterally to the candidate stopping area or near the candidate stopping area.

[0063] Vehicle control is a control system that is executed, for example, when an abnormality occurs in vehicle M or the driver of vehicle M. Vehicle control is a control system that, for example, slows down and stops vehicle M when an abnormality occurs in vehicle M or the driver.

[0064] An abnormality refers to a state in which vehicle M cannot be driven normally, or a state in which the driver cannot continue driving. A state in which vehicle M cannot be driven normally means that an abnormality has occurred in vehicle system 1 (a functional configuration not involved in vehicle control), for example, when a flag indicating that an abnormality has occurred in vehicle system 1 is generated. A driver abnormality refers to the detection of a driver abnormality from the results of detection by the driver monitor camera 42 (for example, not continuously looking ahead for a predetermined period of time), the state in which the driver is not gripping the steering wheel for a predetermined period of time (the grip sensor of vehicle system 1 does not continuously detect gripping for a predetermined period of time), or when the emergency call SW230 is operated.

[0065] The first sensor is, for example, a radar device 12. The first sensor may be, instead of (or in addition to) the radar device 12, one or both of the camera 10 and the LIDAR 14, or, in addition to the radar device 12, one or both of the camera 10 and the LIDAR 14 may be included.

[0066] The second sensor is, for example, a sonar 19. The second sensor may be either or both of the surround camera 17 and the MVC 18 instead of the sonar 19, or it may include either or both of the surround camera 17 and the MVC 18 in addition to the sonar 19.

[0067] The second sensor may be, for example, a sensor that detects the area around a vehicle used when vehicle M is parked or exiting a parking space. The second sensor may be, for example, a sensor that detects the area to the side of vehicle M relative to the direction of travel.

[0068] Prioritization means, for example, that the surroundings are recognized with greater emphasis on the detection results of a priority sensor. For example, it means recognizing the surroundings by using the detection results of a priority sensor and not using the detection results of other sensors. The weight given to using the detection results of a priority sensor may be given more weight than the weight given to using the detection results of a non-priority sensor. If the driver assistance device 100 recognizes the type of object or the position of an object by integrating scores based on the detection results of each sensor, the weight given to the detection results of a priority sensor may be given more weight than the weight given to the detection results of a non-priority sensor when integrating the scores.

[0069] Prioritizing may also mean the following: For example, if the position of an object obtained from the detection result of a prioritized sensor (first position) differs from the position of an object obtained from the detection result of a non-prioritized sensor (second position), the driving support device 100 may estimate the first position as the position of the object, or it may estimate that the object is located at a position that is a predetermined degree closer to the second position than the first position.

[0070] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the processes performed by the driver assistance system 100. The road consists of lane L1, lane L2, and shoulder S adjacent to lane L1. Vehicle M is traveling in lane L1.

[0071] At time T, if an abnormality occurs in the vehicle M or the driver, the driver assistance device 100 starts vehicle control and begins deceleration.

[0072] At time T+1, the driver assistance device 100 continues to decelerate while searching for a stopping area in which the vehicle M can stop. The stopping area is an area that does not obstruct the progress of other vehicles or other traffic participants, such as the shoulder of the road. After vehicle control is started, the driver assistance device 100 may move the vehicle M laterally within lane L1 in a direction that does not obstruct the passage of other traffic participants, such as the shoulder of the road. If the vehicle M is traveling in lane L2, the driver assistance device 100 may automatically change the vehicle M to lane L1 on the shoulder side.

[0073] At time T+2, the driver assistance device 100 identifies the stopping area. The driver assistance device 100 searches for and identifies the stopping area prioritizing the detection result of the first sensor over the detection result of the second sensor.

[0074] At time T+3, if the speed of vehicle M falls below a predetermined speed, the driver assistance device 100 prioritizes the detection result of the second sensor and moves vehicle M laterally toward the stopping area. After identifying the stopping area, for example, the driver assistance device 100 may prioritize the detection result of the second sensor over the detection result of the first sensor and move vehicle M laterally, or it may identify the stopping area and, if the speed of vehicle M falls below a predetermined speed, prioritize the detection result of the second sensor and move vehicle M laterally toward the stopping area.

[0075] The driver assistance device 100 may maintain the vehicle M's speed above a predetermined speed until a stopping area is identified, control the vehicle M's speed to below the predetermined speed after the stopping area is identified, and then prioritize using the detection result of the second sensor.

[0076] If the vehicle M's speed falls below a predetermined speed before the stopping area is identified, the driver assistance device 100 may prioritize using the detection result of the second sensor. In this case, the driver assistance device 100 may prioritize the detection result of the first sensor to search for and identify the stopping area, or it may prioritize the detection result of the second sensor to search for and identify the stopping area. The driver assistance device 100 may also search for and identify the stopping area using the detection result of both the first and second sensors. In the following description, it will be assumed that the detection result of the second sensor is prioritized because the stopping area has been identified and the vehicle M's speed is below a predetermined speed.

[0077] At time T+4, the driver assistance device 100 continues deceleration and moves the vehicle M laterally, prioritizing the detection result of the second sensor. Based on the detection result of the second sensor, the driver assistance device 100 controls the steering of the vehicle M to move it laterally to an area where the vehicle M can move laterally (for example, a parking area such as the shoulder of the road). The driver assistance device 100 may move the vehicle M laterally (for example toward the shoulder) before time T+3 and, at time T+4, execute control (second lateral movement control) to move the vehicle M further to an area in the lateral direction where the vehicle M can move, which has been searched based on the detection result of the second sensor, based on the position after the lateral movement.

[0078] The driver assistance device 100 then stops the vehicle M in the stopping area. The driver assistance device 100 stops the vehicle M after a predetermined time has elapsed or after the vehicle M has moved a predetermined distance since the start of vehicle control.

[0079] As described above, the driver assistance device 100 can control the vehicle M more appropriately by using the appropriate sensor from the first sensor and the second sensor according to the speed of the vehicle M. For example, if the speed of the vehicle M exceeds a predetermined speed, the driver assistance device 100 actively uses the first sensor, which can accurately detect distant objects, to search for an area where the vehicle M can stop or an area that does not obstruct the progress of other traffic participants. If the speed of the vehicle M is below the predetermined speed, the driver assistance device 100 actively uses the second sensor, which can more accurately detect the area to the side of the vehicle M, to move the vehicle M laterally to the searched area or its vicinity. In this way, the driver assistance device 100 can guide the vehicle M to an appropriate area in the event of an abnormality by using sensors according to the situation of the vehicle M.

[0080] In the example above, it was explained that there are no other vehicles in front of vehicle M, but if there are other vehicles, the following processing may be performed. If there is a vehicle in front of vehicle M that is in the direction of travel, the driver assistance device 100 controls the longitudinal position of vehicle M in vehicle control based on the information of the vehicle in front included in the detection result of the first sensor, and also performs control to move the vehicle laterally (first lateral movement control) in vehicle control based on the detection result of the second sensor. In this case, the driver assistance device 100 can appropriately control vehicle M while maintaining an appropriate position relative to the vehicle in front.

[0081] [Gradual transition] The driver assistance device 100 may gradually (or stepwise) switch the priority of using the detection results of the first sensor and the priority of using the detection results of the second sensor. For example, in vehicle control that decelerates and stops vehicle M when an abnormality occurs in vehicle M or the driver of vehicle M, the driver assistance device 100 may lower the priority of using the detection results of the first sensor and increase the priority of using the detection results of the second sensor in accordance with the decrease in the speed of vehicle M after the start of vehicle control, or in accordance with the elapsed time since the start of vehicle control, in order to recognize the surroundings of vehicle M and stop the vehicle based on the recognition results.

[0082] Figure 5 illustrates an example of priority switching. The vertical axis in Figure 5 represents priority, and the horizontal axis represents time. Assume that an abnormality occurs at time Tx1. At this time, the driver assistance device 100 prioritizes the detection result of the first sensor over the detection result of the second sensor. As time progresses, the priority of the detection result of the second sensor increases.

[0083] For example, from time Tx1 to time Tx2, a predetermined time has elapsed, the priority of the detection result of the first sensor remains constant. At time Tx2, the priority of the detection result of the first sensor decreases as time progresses. For example, from time Tx2 onwards, the priority of the detection result of the second sensor remains constant. In this way, the priority of the detection results of sensors changes with time.

[0084] In the above explanation, the priority of the sensor detection results was described as changing over time, but instead, the priority may change according to the speed of vehicle M. For example, the timing when the speed of vehicle M is below a threshold may be the timing Tx2.

[0085] As described above, the driver assistance device 100 adjusts the priority according to time or speed to search for an area in which the vehicle M can stop accurately, and enables the vehicle M to move laterally appropriately into the searched area, so that the vehicle M can move smoothly into the appropriate area and stop.

[0086] [flowchart] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow performed by the driver assistance device 100. First, the driver assistance device 100 determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred (step S100). If an abnormality has occurred, the driver assistance device 100 decelerates the vehicle M (step S102). At this time, the driver assistance device 100 recognizes the surroundings prioritizing the detection result of the first sensor (step S104).

[0087] Next, the driver assistance device 100 searches for a stopping area (step S106). The process of searching for a stopping area in step S106 may be started at any time after the abnormality in step S100 has occurred. Next, the driver assistance device 100 determines whether the speed of vehicle M is below a predetermined speed (step S108). If the speed of vehicle M is below the predetermined speed, the driver assistance device 100 recognizes the surroundings prioritizing the detection result of the second sensor (step S110). Next, the driver assistance device 100 moves vehicle M laterally to a stopping area such as the roadside (step S112) and stops vehicle M in the stopping area (step S114). This completes the processing of one routine in this flowchart. Note that in the above process, the time since the occurrence of the abnormality may be used for determination instead of the speed of vehicle M.

[0088] Through the above process, the driver assistance device 100 can appropriately control the vehicle M.

[0089] According to the embodiments described above, the driving support device 100 can appropriately control the vehicle M in vehicle control that decelerates and stops the vehicle, by prioritizing the result detected by the first sensor and executing the vehicle control when the vehicle speed is above a predetermined speed, and by prioritizing the result detected by the second sensor and executing the vehicle control when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined speed.

[0090] The embodiments described above can be expressed as follows. A memory device that stores the program, Equipped with a hardware processor, The hardware processor executes the program stored in the memory device, In vehicle control that slows down and stops a vehicle, If the vehicle's speed is above a predetermined speed, the results detected by the first sensor are prioritized and the vehicle control is executed. If the vehicle's speed is below a predetermined speed, the results detected by the second sensor are prioritized and the vehicle control is executed. The first sensor is installed around the vehicle and detects the area around the vehicle, and is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor. The second sensor is provided around the vehicle to detect the area around the vehicle and has higher accuracy in detecting nearby conditions than the first sensor. A control device configured in such a way.

[0091] Although embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above using examples, the present invention is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0092] 1. Vehicle System 10 Cameras 12 Radar equipment 14 LIDAR 17 Surround Cameras 18. MVC (Multi-View Camera) 19 Sonar 100 Driving support devices 110 Recognition part 130 Driver Support Department

Claims

1. A first sensor is installed around the vehicle to detect the area around the vehicle, A second sensor is provided around the vehicle to detect the area around the vehicle, The vehicle comprises a control unit for controlling the vehicle, The first sensor is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor. The second sensor has higher accuracy in detecting nearby conditions than the first sensor. The control unit, In vehicle control that decelerates and stops the aforementioned vehicle, If the vehicle's speed is above a predetermined speed, the results detected by the first sensor are prioritized and the vehicle control is executed. If the vehicle's speed is below a predetermined speed, the results detected by the second sensor are prioritized and the vehicle control is executed. Vehicle control system.

2. The second sensor is a sensor that detects the surroundings of the vehicle when the vehicle is parked or exiting a parking space. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

3. The second sensor detects the area to the side of the vehicle's direction of travel, The control unit, In vehicle control for decelerating and stopping the vehicle, the steering of the vehicle is controlled to move it laterally to the region in which it can move laterally, based on the detection result of the second sensor. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

4. If there is a vehicle ahead that is located in the direction of travel of the aforementioned vehicle, The control unit, Based on the information of the vehicle ahead included in the detection result of the first sensor, the vehicle control controls the longitudinal position of the vehicle, Based on the detection result of the second sensor, the vehicle control system performs a first lateral movement control to move the vehicle laterally. The vehicle control device according to claim 3.

5. The control unit, The vehicle is moved laterally, and a second lateral movement control is performed to move the vehicle further into a lateral region where it can move, based on the position after the lateral movement and the results detected by the second sensor. The vehicle control device according to claim 3.

6. The control unit shall stop the vehicle after a predetermined time has elapsed or after the vehicle has moved a predetermined distance, after the vehicle control has started. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

7. The control unit starts vehicle control when an abnormality occurs in the driver of the vehicle. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

8. The control unit, If an abnormality occurs in the vehicle or the driver of the vehicle, the vehicle control is initiated. If the vehicle's speed is above a predetermined speed, the vehicle control is executed prioritizing the detection result of the first sensor, and a candidate stopping area for the vehicle is searched using the detection result of the first sensor as a priority. If the vehicle's speed is below a predetermined speed, the results detected by the second sensor are prioritized, and the vehicle control is performed to move the vehicle laterally to the candidate stopping area or the vicinity of the candidate stopping area. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.

9. A first sensor is installed around the vehicle to detect the area around the vehicle, A second sensor is provided around the vehicle to detect the area around the vehicle, The vehicle comprises a control unit for controlling the vehicle, The first sensor is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor. The second sensor has higher accuracy in detecting nearby conditions than the first sensor. The control unit, In a vehicle control system that slows down and stops the vehicle when an abnormality occurs in the vehicle or the driver of the vehicle, Depending on the decrease in the vehicle's speed after the start of the vehicle control, or depending on the elapsed time since the start of the vehicle control, the priority of using the detection result of the first sensor is lowered and the priority of using the detection result of the second sensor is increased to recognize the area around the vehicle, and the vehicle is stopped based on the results of the recognition. Vehicle control system.

10. Computers In vehicle control that slows down and stops a vehicle, If the vehicle's speed is above a predetermined speed, the results detected by the first sensor are prioritized and the vehicle control is executed. If the vehicle's speed is below a predetermined speed, the results detected by the second sensor are prioritized and the vehicle control is executed. The first sensor is installed around the vehicle and detects the area around the vehicle, and is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor. The second sensor is installed around the vehicle to detect the area around the vehicle and has higher accuracy in detecting the immediate vicinity than the first sensor. Vehicle control method.

11. On the computer, In vehicle control that slows down and stops a vehicle, If the vehicle's speed is above a predetermined speed, the process of prioritizing the detection result of the first sensor and executing the vehicle control is performed. If the vehicle's speed is below a predetermined speed, the process of prioritizing the detection result of the second sensor and executing the vehicle control is performed. The first sensor is installed around the vehicle and detects the area around the vehicle, and is capable of detecting conditions at a greater distance than the second sensor. The second sensor is installed around the vehicle to detect the area around the vehicle and has higher accuracy in detecting the immediate vicinity than the first sensor. program.

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