car

Abstract

To more appropriately give a notification of a scheduled stop position when an own vehicle decelerates and stops in accordance with speed reduction or stopping of a preceding vehicle due to control such as automated cruise control.SOLUTION: When stopping of a preceding vehicle is predicted during control such as automated cruise control, an own vehicle is controlled by a shifting-to-stop mode for controlling a driving gear and a brake gear to stop such that an inter-vehicular distance to the preceding vehicle is a third predetermined distance. During the shifting-to-stop mode, a driver is notified of a scheduled stop position of the own vehicle when the speed of the own vehicle is higher than the speed of the preceding vehicle and notifying the driver of a scheduled stop position of the own vehicle is stopped when the speed of own vehicle is lower than the speed of the preceding vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to automobiles, and more particularly to automobiles that implement cruise control. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of automobile, an automobile equipped with an HCU (Human Machine Interface Control Unit) as a display control device has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this automobile, the HCU controls display by a head-up display capable of displaying an image superimposed on the environment outside the host vehicle within a predetermined displayable angle of view. The HCU grasps information on a stop position SP where the host vehicle should be stopped, and when the stop position SP is included within the displayable angle of view, displays stop position content superimposed on the stop position SP by the head-up display. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-185830 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the vehicle decelerates and stops due to the slowing or stopping of the vehicle ahead due to control such as auto cruise control, the driver may feel uneasy if he / she is not aware of how the vehicle will decelerate and stop. In this case, if the driver can recognize the planned stopping position of the vehicle, the driver's uneasiness can be reduced, but depending on the movement of the vehicle ahead, the notification of the planned stopping position may be bothersome.

[0005] The main object of the automobile of the present invention is to more appropriately notify a planned stopping position when the vehicle decelerates and stops as a vehicle ahead slows down or stops due to control such as auto cruise control. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The automobile of the present invention employs the following means to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

[0007] The automobile of the present invention comprises: A drive device that outputs a driving force for traveling; A brake device that applies a braking force to a vehicle; a vehicle distance detection sensor for detecting a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle; a control device that executes cruise control to travel using modes including an independent cruise mode in which the drive device is controlled so as to travel at a set speed when there is no preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance, a following cruise mode in which the drive device and the brake device are controlled so as to follow the preceding vehicle within the set speed range at a distance equal to or greater than a second predetermined distance when there is a preceding vehicle within the first predetermined distance, and a stop transition mode in which the drive device and the brake device are controlled so as to stop the preceding vehicle at a distance equal to or greater than a third predetermined distance when it is predicted that the preceding vehicle will stop; A vehicle comprising: the control device, during traveling using the stop transition mode, notifies the driver of a planned stopping position of the vehicle when the speed of the vehicle is faster than the speed of the preceding vehicle, and stops notifying the driver of the planned stopping position of the vehicle when the speed of the vehicle is slower than the speed of the preceding vehicle. It is characterized by:

[0008] The control device of the automobile of the present invention executes cruise control to run using modes including a solo cruise mode in which the drive device is controlled to run at a set speed when there is no preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance, a following cruise mode in which the drive device and the brake device are controlled to follow the preceding vehicle within a set speed range at a distance equal to or greater than a second predetermined distance when there is a preceding vehicle within the first predetermined distance, and a stop transition mode in which the drive device and the brake device are controlled to stop the preceding vehicle at a distance equal to or greater than a third predetermined distance when the preceding vehicle is predicted to stop. During running using the stop transition mode, the control device notifies the driver of the planned stop position of the vehicle when the speed of the vehicle is faster than that of the preceding vehicle, and stops notifying the driver of the planned stop position of the vehicle when the speed of the vehicle is slower than that of the preceding vehicle. By notifying the driver of the planned stop position of the vehicle when the speed of the vehicle is faster than that of the preceding vehicle, the driver can be made aware of the planned stop position of the vehicle, and anxiety caused by the driver not being aware of how the vehicle will decelerate and stop can be reduced. In addition, when the speed of the vehicle is slower than the speed of the vehicle ahead, notification of the planned stopping position to the driver of the vehicle can be stopped, thereby reducing the annoyance caused by unnecessary notification of the planned stopping position. As a result, the planned stopping position can be notified more appropriately. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an automobile 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a main electronic control unit 30 as the central block. [Diagram 2] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a planned stop position display process executed by the main electronic control unit 30. [Diagram 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a planned stop position 90 is displayed on a head-up display 74. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. EXAMPLES

[0011] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an automobile 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a main electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as main ECU) 30 at the center. As shown in the figure, the automobile 20 of the embodiment includes a drive unit 62 that outputs drive force to drive wheels (not shown), and a drive electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as drive ECU) 60 for controlling the drive of the drive unit 62.

[0012] The drive device 62 may be one having an engine and an automatic transmission, a hybrid system having an engine, a motor and a battery, a fuel cell drive system having a fuel cell, a battery and a motor, or an electric system having a battery and a motor.

[0013] The drive ECU 60 is configured as a microcomputer centered around a CPU (not shown), and in addition to the CPU, includes a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, an input port, an output port, a communication port, etc. The drive ECU 60 controls the drive of the drive device 62 based on a drive control signal from the main ECU 30.

[0014] In addition to the drive device 62 and drive ECU 60, the automobile 20 of the embodiment is equipped with an ignition switch 32, a shift position sensor 34, an accelerator position sensor 36, a brake position sensor 38, a vehicle speed sensor 40, an acceleration sensor 42, a gradient sensor 44, a yaw rate sensor 46, an automatic driving switch 48, an auto cruise control switch (hereinafter referred to as an ACC switch) 50, a surrounding recognition electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as a surrounding recognition ECU) 52, a surrounding recognition device 54, an air conditioning device electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as an air conditioning ECU) 56, an air conditioning device 58, a brake electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as a brake ECU) 64, a brake device 66, a steering electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as a steering ECU) 68, a steering device 70, a center display 72, a head-up display 74, a meter 76, a GPS (Global Positioning System, Global Positioning Satellite) 78, a navigation system 80, a DCM (Data Communication Module) 86, and the like.

[0015] The shift position sensor 34 detects the position of the shift lever. The accelerator position sensor 36 detects the accelerator opening according to the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal by the driver. The brake position sensor 38 detects the brake position as the amount of depression of the brake pedal by the driver.

[0016] The vehicle speed sensor 30 detects the vehicle speed based on the wheel speed etc. The acceleration sensor 28 detects, for example, the acceleration in the front-rear direction of the vehicle. The gradient sensor 44 detects the road surface gradient. The yaw rate sensor 46 detects the lateral acceleration (yaw rate) in the left-right direction due to turning motion.

[0017] The automatic driving switch 48 is a switch for selecting whether to perform automatic driving or not, and a switch for setting the automatic driving mode. The ACC switch 50 is a switch for selecting whether to perform auto cruise control or not, and a switch for setting the vehicle speed and following distance. The automatic driving switch 48 and the ACC switch 50 are attached to the steering wheel or the installation panel in front of the driver's seat or in their vicinity.

[0018] Although not shown, the surroundings recognition ECU 52 is configured as a microprocessor centered on a CPU, and in addition to the CPU, includes a ROM for storing processing programs, a RAM for temporarily storing data, an input / output port, and a communication port. Information on the vehicle and its surroundings (e.g., vehicle distances D1, D2 between the vehicle and other vehicles in front and behind the vehicle, the vehicle speed of other vehicles, the vehicle's running position in the lane on the road surface, etc.) is input from the surroundings recognition device 54 to the surroundings recognition ECU 52 via the input port. Examples of the surroundings recognition device 54 include a front camera, a rear camera, a millimeter wave radar, a quasi-millimeter wave radar, an infrared laser radar, and a sonar.

[0019] The air conditioner ECU 56 is configured as a microcomputer centered around a CPU (not shown), and in addition to the CPU, is equipped with a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, an input port, an output port, a communication port, etc. The air conditioner ECU 56 is incorporated in an air conditioner 58 that conditions the passenger compartment, and drives and controls an air conditioner compressor in the air conditioner so that the temperature in the passenger compartment becomes a set temperature.

[0020] The brake ECU 64 is configured as a microcomputer centered on a CPU (not shown), and in addition to the CPU, includes a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, an input port, an output port, a communication port, etc. The brake ECU 64 drives and controls a well-known hydraulically driven brake device 66. The brake device 66 is configured to be able to perform braking force caused by the brake depression force by depressing the brake pedal and braking force caused by hydraulic pressure adjustment.

[0021] The steering ECU 68 is configured as a microcomputer centered on a CPU (not shown), and in addition to the CPU, includes a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, an input port, an output port, a communication port, etc. The steering ECU 68 drives and controls the actuator of the steering device 28, which is mechanically connected to a steering wheel (not shown) and a driving wheel via a steering shaft. The steering device 28 steers the driving wheels based on the driver's steering operation, and steers the driving wheels by driving the actuator by the steering ECU 68 based on a steering control signal from the main electronic control unit 30.

[0022] The center display 72 is located in the center in front of the driver's seat and passenger seat, and also functions as a touch panel to execute various vehicle settings and audio and media applications, and also functions as the display unit 84 for the navigation system to perform map navigation.

[0023] The head-up display 74 provides an image (such as an image formed at an infinite point) of information for the driver on the windshield, such as a speed display and a navigation guide display. The meter 76 is incorporated in, for example, an installation panel in front of the driver's seat.

[0024] The GPS 78 is a device that detects the position of a vehicle based on signals transmitted from multiple GPS satellites.

[0025] The navigation system 80 is a system that guides the vehicle to a set destination, and includes map information 82 and a display unit 84. The navigation system 80 communicates with a traffic information management center 100 via a DCM (Data Communication Module) 86, and acquires road traffic information and, as necessary, acquires map information to update the map information 82. When a destination is set, the navigation system 80 sets a route based on the destination information, current location information (current vehicle position) acquired by the GPS 78, and the map information 82.

[0026] The DCM (Data Communication Module) 86 transmits information about the vehicle to the traffic information management center 100 and receives road traffic information from the traffic information management center 100. Examples of the vehicle information include the vehicle's position, vehicle speed, running power, and running mode. Examples of the road traffic information include information about current and future congestion, information about the current average vehicle speed and the predicted future average vehicle speed in a section on the travel route, information about traffic regulations, information about weather, information about road surface conditions, and information about maps. The DCM 86 communicates with the traffic information management center 100 at predetermined intervals (for example, every 30 seconds, every minute, or every two minutes).

[0027] Although not shown, the main electronic control unit 30 is configured as a microcomputer centered on a CPU, and in addition to the CPU, it is equipped with a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, an input port, an output port, a communication port, and the like. Various signals are input to the main electronic control unit 30 via the input port. Examples of information input through the input port include an ignition switch signal from the ignition switch 32, a shift position from the shift position sensor 34, an accelerator opening from the accelerator position sensor 36, and a brake position from the brake position sensor 38. Examples of information input through the input port include a vehicle speed V from the vehicle speed sensor 40, an acceleration from the acceleration sensor 42, a gradient from the gradient sensor 44, and a yaw rate from the yaw rate sensor 46. Examples of information input through the input port include an automatic driving instruction signal from the automatic driving switch 48, and an ACC instruction signal from the ACC switch 50. Various signals are output from the main electronic control unit 30 via the output port. Examples of information output through the output port include a display control signal to the center display 72, a display control signal to the head-up display 74, and a display signal to the meter 76.

[0028] The main electronic control unit 30 communicates with the surroundings recognition ECU 52, the air conditioner ECU 56, the drive ECU 60, the brake ECU 64, the steering ECU 68, and the navigation system 80, and exchanges various types of information.

[0029] The main electronic control unit 30 sets the required driving force and required power based on the accelerator opening from the accelerator position sensor 36 and the vehicle speed from the vehicle speed sensor 40, and sends a drive control signal to the drive ECU 60 so that the required driving force and required power are output from the drive device 62 to the vehicle.

[0030] When the ACC switch 50 instructs the main electronic control unit 30 to execute the auto cruise control, if the surrounding recognition device 54 does not recognize a preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance (e.g., 200 m or 300 m), the main electronic control unit 30 transmits a control signal to the drive ECU 60 and the brake ECU 64 to drive at the vehicle speed set by the ACC switch 50 as the independent cruise mode, and if the surrounding recognition device 54 recognizes a preceding vehicle within the first predetermined distance, the main electronic control unit 30 transmits a control signal to the drive ECU 60 and the brake ECU 64 to drive at a second predetermined distance (e.g., 100 m or 80 m) from the preceding vehicle set by the ACC switch 50 as the following cruise mode within the vehicle speed range set by the ACC switch 50. Also, when the surrounding recognition device 54 estimates that the preceding vehicle is stopped, the main electronic control unit 30 transmits a control signal to the drive ECU 60 and the brake ECU 64 to stop at a third predetermined distance (e.g., 5 m or 3 m) from the preceding vehicle as the stop transition mode. The estimation of the stop of the vehicle ahead can be performed when the vehicle ahead decelerates and the vehicle speed reaches a predetermined speed (for example, 50 km / h or 40 km / h) or less. The stop transition mode is also executed when the stop of the vehicle ahead is estimated during automatic driving.

[0031] Next, the operation of the automobile 20 thus configured, particularly the operation when displaying the planned stopping position of the vehicle in the vehicle stop transition mode, will be described. FIG 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a planned stopping position display process executed by the main electronic control unit 30.

[0032] When the planned stop position display process is executed, the main electronic control unit 30 first determines whether or not the vehicle is in a stop transition mode (step S100). When it is determined that the vehicle is in the stop transition mode, the planned stop position is calculated (step S110). The planned stop position is calculated as a position where the distance from the vehicle ahead is a third predetermined distance (for example, 5 m, 3 m, etc.).

[0033] Next, it is determined whether the vehicle speed V of the host vehicle is equal to or greater than the vehicle speed of the vehicle ahead, i.e., whether the distance between the host vehicle and the vehicle ahead is small (step S120). When it is determined that the vehicle speed V of the host vehicle is equal to or greater than the vehicle speed of the vehicle ahead, the calculated planned stop position is displayed on the head-up display 74 (step S130), and this process ends. FIG. 3 is an example of the planned stop position 90 being displayed on the head-up display 74. As shown in the figure, the planned stop position 90 is displayed at a position where the distance between the vehicle ahead and the vehicle ahead 220 is a third predetermined distance. This allows the driver to recognize the planned stop position 90 of the host vehicle, and reduces anxiety such as not knowing where to stop.

[0034] If it is determined in step S100 that the vehicle is not in the stop transition mode, or if the vehicle is in the stop transition mode but the vehicle speed V of the vehicle is less than the vehicle speed of the vehicle in front, i.e., if the vehicle distance to the vehicle in front has increased, there is no need to display the planned stop position 90. Therefore, if the planned stop position 90 is displayed on the head-up display 74, the display is ended (step S140), and this process is terminated.

[0035] In the automobile 20 of the embodiment described above, when the vehicle speed V of the host vehicle is equal to or greater than the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle during the stop transition mode, the planned stop position 90 is displayed on the head-up display 74. This allows the driver to recognize the planned stop position 90 of the host vehicle, and reduces anxiety that the driver may not know where to stop. When the vehicle speed V of the host vehicle is less than the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle during the stop transition mode, if the planned stop position 90 is displayed on the head-up display 74, the display is terminated. This makes it possible to suppress the display of unnecessary planned stop positions 90 on the head-up display 74. As a result, when the host vehicle decelerates and stops due to a decrease in speed or a stop of the preceding vehicle, the planned stop position 90 can be more appropriately displayed on the head-up display 74.

[0036] In the automobile 20 of the embodiment, when the vehicle speed V of the host vehicle is equal to or greater than the vehicle speed of the vehicle ahead during the stop transition mode, the planned stop position 90 is displayed on the head-up display 74. However, the planned stop position 90 may be displayed on the head-up display 74 and a message such as "The vehicle is scheduled to stop when the distance between the vehicle ahead is 3 m" may be announced by voice. Also, the planned stop position 90 may be displayed on the center display 72 together with the vehicle ahead 220, or a message such as "The vehicle is scheduled to stop when the distance between the vehicle ahead is 3 m" may be announced only by voice.

[0037] In the embodiment of the automobile 20, each device is controlled by multiple electronic control units such as the main electronic control unit 30, the surrounding recognition ECU 52, the drive ECU 60, the brake ECU 64, and the steering ECU 68. However, each device may be controlled by a single electronic control unit, or each device may be controlled using multiple electronic control units that serve some of the functions of these units.

[0038] The correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem will be described below. In the embodiment, the drive device 62 corresponds to the "drive device", the brake device 66 corresponds to the "brake device", the surrounding recognition device 54 corresponds to the "inter-vehicle distance detection sensor", and the main electronic control unit 30, the drive ECU 60, the brake ECU 64, etc. correspond to the "control device".

[0039] The correspondence between the main elements of the Examples and the main elements of the invention described in the Summary of the Problem column does not limit the elements of the invention described in the Summary of the Problem column, since the Examples are examples for specifically explaining the mode for implementing the invention described in the Summary of the Problem column. In other words, the interpretation of the invention described in the Summary of the Problem column should be based on the description in that column, and the Examples are merely a specific example of the invention described in the Summary of the Problem column.

[0040] Although the form for carrying out the present invention has been described above using examples, the present invention is not limited to these examples in any way, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be carried out in various forms without departing from the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0041] The present invention can be used in the automobile manufacturing industry and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 20 automobile, 30 main electronic control unit, 32 ignition switch, 34 shift position sensor, 36 accelerator position sensor, 38 brake position sensor, 40 vehicle speed sensor, 42 acceleration sensor, 44 gradient sensor, 46 yaw rate sensor, 48 automatic driving switch, 50, auto cruise control switch (ACC switch), 52 electronic control unit for surrounding recognition (surrounding recognition ECU), 54 surrounding recognition device, 56 electronic control unit for air conditioning system (air conditioner ECU), 58 air conditioning system, 60 electronic control unit for drive system (drive ECU), 62 drive system, 64 electronic control unit for brakes (brake ECU), 66 brake system, 68 electronic control unit for steering (steering ECU), 70 steering system, 72 center display, 74 head-up display, 76 meter, 78 GPS, 80 navigation system, 82 map information, 84 display unit, 86 DCM, 90 Planned stopping location, 100 Traffic Information Control Center, 220 Vehicle ahead.

Claims

[Claim 1] A drive device that outputs a driving force for traveling; A brake device that applies a braking force to a vehicle; a vehicle distance detection sensor for detecting a distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle; a control device that executes cruise control to travel using modes including an independent cruise mode in which the drive device is controlled so as to travel at a set speed when there is no preceding vehicle within a first predetermined distance, a following cruise mode in which the drive device and the brake device are controlled so as to follow the preceding vehicle within the set speed range at a distance equal to or greater than a second predetermined distance when there is a preceding vehicle within the first predetermined distance, and a stop transition mode in which the drive device and the brake device are controlled so as to stop the preceding vehicle at a distance equal to or greater than a third predetermined distance when it is predicted that the preceding vehicle will stop; A vehicle comprising: the control device, during traveling using the stop transition mode, notifies the driver of a planned stopping position of the vehicle when the speed of the vehicle is faster than the speed of the preceding vehicle, and stops notifying the driver of the planned stopping position of the vehicle when the speed of the vehicle is slower than the speed of the preceding vehicle. A vehicle characterized by:

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