Driving support device

Abstract

To execute steering control in accordance with a situation of an adjacent lane.SOLUTION: A travelling support device comprises at least one sensor (140) that obtains vehicle peripheral information, and at least one processor configured to execute determination processing for determining whether a current situation is a first situation or a second situation, on the basis of the vehicle peripheral information and to execute steering control by which an own vehicle is made to travel along a target locus (TL), on the basis of a result of the determination processing. The first situation is a situation in which the own vehicle overtakes a first other vehicle travelling on a first adjacent lane. The second situation is a situation in which the own vehicle is overtaken by the first other vehicle travelling on the first adjacent lane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a driving assistance device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, driving support devices configured to execute steering control based on the surrounding conditions of a vehicle have been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-006271 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Hereinafter, a vehicle equipped with the above-mentioned driving support device will be referred to as the "own vehicle", and vehicles present around the own vehicle will be referred to as the "other vehicles". Furthermore, the lane in which the own vehicle is traveling will be referred to as the "own lane", and lanes adjacent to the own lane will be referred to as the "adjacent lanes".

[0005] For example, a situation may occur where another vehicle is traveling in an adjacent lane and the host vehicle overtakes the other vehicle. In this situation, the distance between the host vehicle and the other vehicle becomes small, so the driver of the host vehicle may feel uneasy. However, the driving support device of Patent Document 1 does not consider any processing in such a situation. In addition, the above problem may also occur in a situation where the host vehicle is overtaken by another vehicle.

[0006] The present disclosure provides a driving assistance device capable of executing steering control in accordance with each of the above-mentioned situations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one or more embodiments, a driving assistance device is provided. The driving assistance device includes at least one sensor that acquires vehicle surrounding information related to a surrounding area of ​​a host vehicle, and at least one processor configured to execute a determination process to determine whether a current situation is a first situation or a second situation based on the vehicle surrounding information, and execute steering control to make the host vehicle travel along a target trajectory based on a result of the determination process. The first situation is a situation in which the host vehicle overtakes a first other vehicle traveling in a first adjacent lane adjacent to the host lane in which the host vehicle travels. The second situation is a situation in which the host vehicle is overtaken by the first other vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the above configuration, the driving support device can execute steering control depending on whether the current situation is the first situation or the second situation. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a driving support device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a driving assistance ECU. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining lane keeping control, which is an example of steering control. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a situation (first situation) in which the host vehicle is overtaking a first adjacent vehicle traveling in a first adjacent lane. [Diagram 5] 13 is an example of a map for determining a correction value dc for the lateral position of the host vehicle. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a situation (second situation) in which the host vehicle is overtaken by a first adjacent vehicle traveling in a first adjacent lane. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart executed by a driving assistance ECU in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart executed by a driving assistance ECU in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which there is no second adjacent vehicle in the second adjacent lane in a first situation. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which a second adjacent vehicle is present in a second adjacent lane in a first situation. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which a second adjacent vehicle is present in a second adjacent lane in a first situation. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example in which a second adjacent vehicle is present in a second adjacent lane in a first situation. [Figure 13] 13 is an example of a map for obtaining a correction value dc of a lateral position of the host vehicle in the second embodiment. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart executed by a driving assistance ECU in a second embodiment. [Figure 15] 13 is an example of a map for determining a correction factor Rc by which a correction value dc is multiplied. [Figure 16] 13 is a flowchart executed by a driving assistance ECU in a fourth embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example in which another vehicle is present ahead of the first adjacent vehicle in a first situation. [Figure 18] 20 is a flowchart executed by a driving assistance ECU in a sixth embodiment. [Figure 19] 11 is a diagram for explaining a distance Dy between a first adjacent vehicle and a dividing line representing the boundary between the own lane and the first adjacent lane. FIG. [Figure 20] 13 is a table for calculating the reliability DR, which shows the relationship between the distance Dy and the added value / subtracted value. [Figure 21] 13 is a table for calculating reliability DR, which shows the relationship between a distance Dx between the host vehicle and a first adjacent vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction and an additional value / subtraction value. [Figure 22] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first region for determining a first situation. [Figure 23] 13 is a diagram showing a second area for determining whether a second adjacent vehicle is present in a second adjacent lane in a first situation. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] A number of embodiments of a driving assistance device will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings show specific configurations, but are not to be used to limit the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0011] In the following, lane keeping control will be described as an example of steering control. Hereinafter, lane keeping control will be simply referred to as "LK control."

[0012] <Example 1> (Configuration of driving support device) 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a driving support device. The driving support device is mounted on a vehicle (host vehicle) VA. The driving support device includes a driving support ECU 110, a steering ECU 120, a steering actuator 130, a vehicle surroundings sensor 140, and a vehicle speed sensor 150.

[0013] 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the driving assistance ECU 110. ECU is an abbreviation for electronic control unit, and is an electronic control circuit having a microcomputer as a component. The driving assistance ECU 110 includes a CPU 210, a memory 220, a non-volatile memory 230, an interface 240, and the like.

[0014] The CPU 210 includes at least one processor and / or circuit. The memory 220 includes, for example, a RAM. The non-volatile memory 230 includes, for example, a flash memory and a ROM. The CPU 210 uses the memory 220 as a work memory to execute program codes (instructions) stored in the non-volatile memory 230. This enables the CPU 210 to execute the processes described below. The steering ECU 120 also has a similar configuration.

[0015] The steering actuator 130 is incorporated in a steering mechanism of the vehicle VA. For example, the steering actuator 130 includes a motor for steering the steered wheels (left front wheel and right front wheel) of the vehicle VA. The steering actuator 130 is configured to control the steered wheels in response to an instruction from the steering ECU 120.

[0016] The driving assistance ECU 110 and the steering ECU 120 may be integrated into one ECU. Furthermore, one or more ECUs may be added to execute the processes described below.

[0017] The vehicle surroundings sensor 140 acquires vehicle surroundings information related to the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle VA. The surrounding area of ​​the vehicle VA includes a front area, a right area, a left area, and a rear area of ​​the vehicle VA.

[0018] The vehicle surrounding information includes object information on objects present in the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle VA, and demarcation line information on demarcation lines (white lines) present in the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle VA. The objects include moving objects such as vehicles and pedestrians, as well as stationary objects such as guardrails and fences. The object information includes, for example, the distance between the vehicle VA and the object, the moving direction of the object relative to the vehicle VA, the orientation of the object relative to the vehicle VA, the relative speed of the object relative to the vehicle VA, and the type of the object (for example, information on whether the object is a moving object or a stationary object). The demarcation line information includes the positions of multiple demarcation lines that define the lanes, and parameters related to the demarcation lines. The parameters related to the demarcation lines include the curvature of the demarcation lines, the lateral position of the vehicle VA relative to the demarcation lines (position in the road width direction), and the yaw angle of the vehicle VA relative to the demarcation lines.

[0019] For example, the vehicle surroundings sensor 140 may be one or a combination of a radar sensor, a camera sensor, a LiDAR, etc. The vehicle surroundings sensor 140 may be another sensor as long as it can acquire the above-mentioned object information and lane marking information.

[0020] The vehicle speed sensor 150 acquires information relating to the speed Va of the vehicle VA.

[0021] (LK control) FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining LK control, which is an example of steering control. The driving support ECU 110 detects a left demarcation line LL and a right demarcation line RL based on vehicle surroundings information (demarcation line information). The driving support ECU 110 recognizes an area between the left demarcation line LL and the right demarcation line RL as an area in which the vehicle VA should travel (i.e., a lane). The driving support ECU 110 sets a line connecting the center positions in the road width direction between the left demarcation line LL and the right demarcation line RL as a center line Lc. Then, the driving support ECU 110 sets the center line Lc as a target trajectory TL for LK control. The driving support ECU 110 calculates a steering control amount (e.g., steering torque) for driving the vehicle VA along the target trajectory TL. The driving support ECU 110 outputs the steering control amount to the steering ECU 120. The steering ECU 120 controls the steering actuator 130 based on the steering control amount.

[0022] Next, a number of situations that may occur during the execution of the LK control will be described. In the following, the vehicle VA equipped with the driving support device will be referred to as the "own vehicle VA". Furthermore, the lane on which the own vehicle VA is traveling will be referred to as the "own lane Ln0", the lane adjacent to the left side of the own lane Ln0 will be referred to as the "first adjacent lane Ln1", and the lane adjacent to the right side of the own lane Ln0 will be referred to as the "second adjacent lane Ln2". Other vehicles traveling on the first adjacent lane Ln1 or the second adjacent lane Ln2 will be referred to as the "adjacent vehicles".

[0023] (Steering control in the first situation) 4 is a diagram showing a situation in which the first adjacent vehicle OV1 is traveling in the first adjacent lane Ln1 and the host vehicle VA is overtaking the first adjacent vehicle OV1. Hereinafter, such a situation will be referred to as a "first situation."

[0024] In a first situation, the host vehicle VA gradually approaches the first adjacent vehicle OV1. Since the driver of the host vehicle VA recognizes the first adjacent vehicle OV1, the driver feels uneasy when the host vehicle VA passes beside the first adjacent vehicle OV1. Taking this into consideration, the driving assistance ECU 110 changes an element of the LK control (hereinafter referred to as a "control element"). Here, the control element means various processes for executing the LK control and parameters used in these processes. Specifically, the control element includes a target trajectory TL that is the basis of the LK control, and a control gain used for the steering control amount of the LK control. In this example, the control element is the target trajectory TL.

[0025] In the first situation, the cruise support ECU 110 calculates a line Lofs that moves away from the first adjacent lane Ln1. To achieve this, the cruise support ECU 110 obtains a correction value dc of the lateral position of the host vehicle VA with respect to the center line Lc. Here, the lateral position of the host vehicle VA means the position in the road width direction within the host vehicle lane Ln0. The line Lofs is a line offset to the right by the correction value dc with respect to the center line Lc.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a map MP1 for determining the correction value dc. The map MP1 defines the relationship between the distance Dx in the vehicle longitudinal direction between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1 and the correction value dc. When the distance Dx is a negative value, this means that the host vehicle VA is located behind the first adjacent vehicle OV1. When the distance Dx is zero, this means that the host vehicle VA is located directly to the side of the first adjacent vehicle OV1. When the distance Dx is a positive value, this means that the host vehicle VA is located in front of the first adjacent vehicle OV1. When the correction value dc is a positive value, this means that the lateral position of the host vehicle VA is offset to the left with respect to the center line Lc. On the other hand, when the correction value dc is a negative value, this means that the lateral position of the host vehicle VA is offset to the right with respect to the center line Lc. Therefore, the map MP1 is a map that offsets the lateral position of the host vehicle VA to the right with respect to the center line Lc.

[0027] The cruise assistance ECU 110 obtains the correction value dc according to the map MP1. According to the map MP1, when the host vehicle VA approaches the first adjacent vehicle OV1 (the magnitude (absolute value) of the distance Dx becomes smaller), the correction value dc becomes a negative predetermined value dc1 (for example, -0.4 m). That is, the host vehicle VA moves away from the first adjacent lane Ln1. Thereafter, the host vehicle VA overtakes the first adjacent vehicle OV1. Accordingly, the correction value dc gradually approaches zero and finally becomes zero. That is, the lateral position of the host vehicle VA returns to the center line Lc. The value dc1 may be appropriately changed so that the host vehicle VA does not deviate from the host lane Ln0.

[0028] The driving support ECU 110 sets the line Lofs as the target trajectory TL. The driving support ECU 110 calculates a steering control amount for driving the vehicle VA along the target trajectory TL. The driving support ECU 110 outputs the steering control amount to the steering ECU 120. According to this configuration, even if the first situation occurs during the execution of the LK control, the driving support ECU 110 executes the first control, so that the host vehicle VA passes the right side of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 with a larger gap from the first adjacent vehicle OV1. This can reduce the possibility that the driver feels uneasy. Furthermore, the driving support ECU 110 gradually changes the correction value dc according to the distance Dx using the map MP1. According to this configuration, the lateral position of the vehicle VA can be smoothly changed according to the distance Dx.

[0029] Hereinafter, the steering control executed in the first situation (that is, the steering control using the line Lofs as the target trajectory TL) will be referred to as the "first control".

[0030] In order to start the first control, the driving assistance ECU 110 determines a first start condition based on the vehicle surroundings information. The first start condition is a condition for determining whether the current situation is the first situation. Specifically, the first start condition is met when both the following conditions A1 and A2 are met. In addition, the condition A2 may be changed to a condition related to the inter-vehicle time between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1. (Condition A1): The speed Va of the host vehicle VA > the speed V1 of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 (Condition A2): Distance Dx ≧ First distance threshold Dxth1 (predetermined negative value)

[0031] Furthermore, the driving assistance ECU 110 determines a first end condition based on the vehicle surroundings information in order to end the first control. The first end condition is a condition for determining whether the host vehicle VA has completed overtaking the first adjacent vehicle OV1. Specifically, the first end condition is met when the following condition B1 is met. Note that the condition B1 may be changed to a condition related to the inter-vehicle time between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1. (Condition B1): Distance Dx ≧ second distance threshold Dxth2 (predetermined positive value)

[0032] (Steering control in the second situation) 6 is a diagram showing a situation in which the first adjacent vehicle OV1 is traveling in the first adjacent lane Ln1 and the host vehicle VA is being overtaken by the first adjacent vehicle OV1. Hereinafter, such a situation will be referred to as a "second situation."

[0033] In the second situation, the first adjacent vehicle OV1 gradually approaches the host vehicle VA. However, since the first adjacent vehicle OV1 is located behind the host vehicle VA, in many cases the driver of the host vehicle VA is unable to recognize the first adjacent vehicle OV1. In such a second situation, it is assumed that the driving support ECU 110 executes the first control. In this case, the driver feels as if the host vehicle VA has suddenly moved to the right, and the driver feels uneasy. In consideration of this, the driving support ECU 110 executes steering control using the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL in the second situation. The driving support ECU 110 sets the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL. The driving support ECU 110 calculates a steering control amount for driving the vehicle VA along the target trajectory TL. The driving support ECU 110 outputs the steering control amount to the steering ECU 120. According to this configuration, even if the second situation occurs during execution of the LK control, the driving assistance ECU 110 executes the second control, so that the host vehicle VA does not move laterally. This reduces the possibility that the driver feels uneasy.

[0034] Hereinafter, the steering control executed in the second situation (that is, the steering control using the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL) will be referred to as the "second control".

[0035] In order to start the second control, the driving assistance ECU 110 determines a second start condition based on the vehicle surroundings information. The second start condition is a condition for determining whether the current situation is the second situation. Specifically, the second start condition is met when both of the following conditions C1 and C2 are met. In addition, the condition C2 may be changed to a condition related to the inter-vehicle time between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1. (Condition C1): The speed Va of the host vehicle VA < the speed V1 of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 (Condition C2): Distance Dx ≦ third distance threshold Dxth3 (predetermined positive value)

[0036] Furthermore, the driving assistance ECU 110 determines a second end condition based on the vehicle surroundings information in order to end the second control. The second end condition is a condition for determining whether the first adjacent vehicle OV1 has completed overtaking the host vehicle VA. Specifically, the second end condition is met when the following condition D1 is met. Note that the condition D1 may be changed to a condition related to the inter-vehicle time between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1. (Condition D1): Distance Dx ≦ fourth distance threshold Dxth4 (predetermined negative value)

[0037] (Steering control under normal circumstances) Hereinafter, a situation that is neither the first situation nor the second situation is referred to as a "normal situation." In the normal situation, the driving support ECU 110 executes steering control using the center line Lc as a target trajectory TL. Specifically, the driving support ECU 110 sets the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL. The driving support ECU 110 calculates a steering control amount for driving the vehicle VA along the target trajectory TL. The driving support ECU 110 outputs the steering control amount to the steering ECU 120.

[0038] The steering control executed in a normal situation (that is, the control using the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL) is called "normal control".

[0039] (Processing flow) 7 and 8 are flowcharts showing routines executed by the driving support ECU 110 in the first embodiment. The driving support ECU 110 repeatedly executes the routines in Fig. 7 and 8 at a predetermined period dT (e.g., 50 ms). The process flow will be described below for each of the "normal situation", "first situation" and "second situation".

[0040] ·Normal situation The driving support ECU 110 reads the vehicle surroundings information (step 701). The driving support ECU 110 detects adjacent vehicles based on the vehicle surroundings information (step 702). Note that since the current situation is a normal situation, the driving support ECU 110 does not detect adjacent vehicles.

[0041] The driving assistance ECU 110 determines whether the first flag Flg1 is "1" (step 703). If the first flag Flg1 is "1", this means that the current situation is the first situation. If the first flag Flg1 is "0", this means that the current situation is not the first situation. Now, assuming that the first flag Flg1 is "0", the driving assistance ECU 110 determines "No" and proceeds to step 704.

[0042] The driving assistance ECU 110 determines whether the second flag Flg2 is "1" (step 704). If the second flag Flg2 is "1", this means that the current situation is the second situation. If the second flag Flg2 is "0", this means that the current situation is not the second situation. Now, assuming that the second flag Flg2 is "0", the driving assistance ECU 110 determines "No" and proceeds to step 705.

[0043] The driving support ECU 110 judges whether an adjacent vehicle is present behind the host vehicle VA (step 705). In a normal situation, the driving support ECU 110 judges "No" and proceeds to step 711 (proceeds from B in FIG. 7 to B in FIG. 8). The driving support ECU 110 judges whether an adjacent vehicle is present ahead of the host vehicle VA (step 711). The driving support ECU 110 judges "No" and proceeds to step 717. The driving support ECU 110 executes normal control as described above. The driving support ECU 110 sets the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL (step 717). Next, the driving support ECU 110 executes smoothing processing on the target trajectory TL (step 718). The smoothing processing is processing for making the target trajectory TL a smooth curve so that no steps are generated on the target trajectory TL. Then, the driving support ECU 110 executes steering control (step 719). Specifically, the driving assistance ECU 110 calculates a steering control amount for driving the vehicle VA along the target trajectory TL. The driving assistance ECU 110 outputs the steering control amount to the steering ECU 120. The steering ECU 120 controls the steering actuator 130 based on the steering control amount.

[0044] First situation 4, and the host vehicle VA is about to overtake the first adjacent vehicle OV1. In this case, the cruise assistance ECU 110 executes steps 701, 702, 703, and 704, and then proceeds to step 705.

[0045] In step 702, the cruise assistance ECU 110 may treat an adjacent vehicle that satisfies the following condition E1 or condition E2 as a target vehicle for the processing described below. (Condition E1): The distance between the host vehicle VA and an adjacent vehicle in the road width direction is equal to or shorter than a predetermined distance. (Condition E2): The distance in the road width direction between the dividing line that defines the own lane Ln0 and an adjacent vehicle is equal to or shorter than a predetermined distance. This is because, for example, when the distance between the host vehicle VA and the adjacent vehicle in the road width direction is relatively large, the driver of the host vehicle VA is unlikely to feel uneasy even if the host vehicle VA passes beside the adjacent vehicle.

[0046] The driving support ECU 110 judges "No" in step 705 and proceeds to step 711 (proceeds from B in FIG. 7 to B in FIG. 8). The driving support ECU 110 judges whether an adjacent vehicle is present ahead of the host vehicle VA (step 711). The driving support ECU 110 judges "Yes" and proceeds to step 712.

[0047] The driving support ECU 110 determines whether or not the first start condition is satisfied (step 712). If the first start condition is not satisfied, the driving support ECU 110 determines "No" and proceeds to step 717 (progresses from D to D in FIG. 8). The driving support ECU 110 executes normal control as described above.

[0048] In the situation of FIG. 4, the first start condition is satisfied. Therefore, the driving support ECU 110 judges as "Yes" and proceeds to step 713. The driving support ECU 110 sets the first flag Flg1 to "1" (step 713). Then, the driving support ECU 110 executes the first control. The driving support ECU 110 calculates the line Lofs using the map MP1 as described above. The driving support ECU 110 sets the line Lofs as the target trajectory TL (step 714). Next, the driving support ECU 110 executes a smoothing process on the target trajectory TL (step 718). Then, the driving support ECU 110 executes steering control (step 719).

[0049] Thereafter, the driving support ECU 110 executes steps 701 and 702, and then proceeds to step 703. The driving support ECU 110 determines "Yes" and proceeds to step 715 (progresses from A in FIG. 7 to A in FIG. 8).

[0050] The driving support ECU 110 determines whether or not the first end condition is satisfied (step 715). If the first end condition is not satisfied, the driving support ECU 110 continues the first control. That is, the driving support ECU 110 determines "No" and executes steps 714, 718, and 719.

[0051] If the first end condition is satisfied, the driving support ECU 110 determines "Yes" and proceeds to step 716. The driving support ECU 110 sets the first flag Flg1 to "0" (step 716). The driving support ECU 110 ends the first control and executes normal control. The driving support ECU 110 sets the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL (step 717). Next, the driving support ECU 110 executes a smoothing process on the target trajectory TL (step 718). Then, the driving support ECU 110 executes steering control (step 719).

[0052] Second situation 6, and the first adjacent vehicle OV1 is about to overtake the host vehicle VA. In this case, the cruise support ECU 110 executes steps 701, 702, 703, and 704, and then proceeds to step 705. The cruise support ECU 110 determines "Yes" and proceeds to step 706.

[0053] The driving support ECU 110 determines whether or not the second start condition is satisfied (step 706). If the second start condition is not satisfied, the driving support ECU 110 determines "No" and proceeds to step 717 (progresses from D in FIG. 7 to D in FIG. 8). The driving support ECU 110 executes normal control as described above.

[0054] In the situation of FIG. 6, the second start condition is satisfied. Therefore, the driving support ECU 110 judges as "Yes" and proceeds to step 707. The driving support ECU 110 sets the second flag Flg2 to "1" (step 707). Then, the driving support ECU 110 executes the second control. The driving support ECU 110 proceeds to step 710 (from C in FIG. 7 to C in FIG. 8). The driving support ECU 110 sets the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL (step 710). The driving support ECU 110 executes a smoothing process on the target trajectory TL (step 718). Then, the driving support ECU 110 executes steering control (step 719).

[0055] Thereafter, the driving support ECU 110 executes steps 701, 702, and 703, and then proceeds to step 704. The driving support ECU 110 determines “Yes” and proceeds to step 708.

[0056] The driving support ECU 110 determines whether or not the second end condition is satisfied (step 708). If the second end condition is not satisfied, the driving support ECU 110 continues the second control. That is, the driving support ECU 110 determines "No" and proceeds to step 710 (proceeds from C in FIG. 7 to C in FIG. 8).

[0057] If the second end condition is satisfied, the driving support ECU 110 determines "Yes" and proceeds to step 709. The driving support ECU 110 sets the second flag Flg2 to "0" (step 709). Therefore, the driving support ECU 110 ends the second control and executes normal control. The driving support ECU 110 proceeds to step 717 (from D in FIG. 7 to D in FIG. 8). The driving support ECU 110 sets the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL (step 717). Next, the driving support ECU 110 executes a smoothing process on the target trajectory TL (step 718). Then, the driving support ECU 110 executes steering control (step 719).

[0058] (effect) According to the above configuration, the driving assistance ECU 110 executes a determination process to determine whether the current situation is the first situation or the second situation based on the vehicle surroundings information, and executes steering control to make the host vehicle VA travel along the target trajectory TL based on the result of the determination process. The driving assistance ECU 110 controls the lateral position of the host vehicle VA by setting (or changing) the target trajectory TL according to the determined situation (the first situation or the second situation). This can improve the driver's sense of security.

[0059] (Modification) The driving assistance ECU 110 may set the control gain of the steering control used in the second situation to be larger than the control gain used in situations other than the second situation. In this configuration, when the driver of the host vehicle VA operates the steering wheel in the second situation, the driving assistance ECU 110 applies a large torque to the steering mechanism to return the lateral position of the host vehicle VA to the target trajectory TL. Therefore, the driver feels a large load on the operation of the steering wheel. Therefore, the lateral position of the host vehicle VA is easily maintained on the target trajectory TL (center line Lc). It is possible to prevent the host vehicle VA from approaching the first adjacent vehicle OV1 traveling from behind the host vehicle VA.

[0060] <Example 2> The configuration of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9 to Fig. 11. In a first situation, a second adjacent vehicle OV2 may be traveling in a second adjacent lane Ln2. The cruise support ECU 110 changes the correction value dc according to cases a to d described below.

[0061] In the example of FIG. 9, the host vehicle VA is about to overtake the first adjacent vehicle OV1. That is, the current situation is the first situation. Meanwhile, there is no adjacent vehicle in the second adjacent lane Ln2. Such a case is hereinafter referred to as "case a". In case a, the cruise support ECU 110 obtains the correction value dc according to the map MP1 shown in FIG. 13. The minimum value of the correction value dc in the map MP1 is "dc1 (for example, -0.4 m)". Therefore, the cruise support ECU 110 calculates a line Lofs that is offset to the right by "dc1" with respect to the center line Lc. The cruise support ECU 110 sets the line Lofs as the target trajectory TL. In case a, a sufficient distance is secured between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1, so that the driver's sense of security can be improved.

[0062] Similarly, in the example of FIG. 10, the host vehicle VA is about to overtake the first adjacent vehicle OV1. The second adjacent vehicle OV2 is traveling in the second adjacent lane Ln2. The second adjacent vehicle OV2 is about to overtake the host vehicle VA, but the distance between the host vehicle VA and the second adjacent vehicle OV2 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is relatively large (i.e., larger than a predetermined distance). Such a case is hereinafter referred to as "case b". In case b, the cruise support ECU 110 obtains a correction value dc according to a map MP2 shown in FIG. 13. The minimum value of the correction value dc in the map MP2 is "dc2 (e.g., -0.2 m)". Here, dc2>dc1. The cruise support ECU 110 calculates a line Lofs that is offset to the right by "dc2" with respect to the center line Lc. The cruise support ECU 110 sets the line Lofs as a target trajectory TL. In case b, the correction value dc is set smaller than in case a, taking into consideration the second adjacent vehicle OV2 approaching from behind the host vehicle VA. This can improve the driver's sense of security.

[0063] Similarly, in the example of FIG. 11, the host vehicle VA is about to overtake the first adjacent vehicle OV1, and the second adjacent vehicle OV2 is about to overtake the host vehicle VA. The distance between the host vehicle VA and the second adjacent vehicle OV2 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is smaller than that in the example of FIG. 10. Such a case is hereinafter referred to as "case c". In case c, the driving support ECU 110 obtains a correction value dc according to a map MP3 shown in FIG. 13. The minimum value of the correction value dc in the map MP3 is "dc3 (for example, -0.1 m)". Here, dc3>dc2. The driving support ECU 110 calculates a line Lofs that is offset to the right by "dc3" with respect to the center line Lc. The driving support ECU 110 sets the line Lofs as the target trajectory TL. In case c, the correction value dc is smaller than that in case b. Therefore, the driver's sense of security can be improved.

[0064] Similarly, in the example of FIG. 12, the host vehicle VA is about to overtake the first adjacent vehicle OV1, and the second adjacent vehicle OV2 is about to overtake the host vehicle VA. The distance between the host vehicle VA and the second adjacent vehicle OV2 in the vehicle longitudinal direction is zero. That is, the second adjacent vehicle OV2 is about to pass beside the host vehicle VA. Such a case is hereinafter referred to as "case d". In case d, the driving support ECU 110 obtains the correction value dc according to the map MP4 shown in FIG. 13. The minimum value of the correction value dc in the map MP4 is "dc4 (for example, -0.05 m)". Here, dc4>dc3. The driving support ECU 110 calculates a line Lofs that is offset to the right by "dc4" with respect to the center line Lc. The driving support ECU 110 sets the line Lofs as the target trajectory TL. In case d, the correction value dc is smaller than that in case c. Therefore, the driver's sense of security can be improved. In addition, in the case of case d, dc4 may be zero. In this case, the cruise assist ECU 110 sets the center line Lc as the target trajectory TL. Since the lateral position of the host vehicle VA is maintained on the center line Lc, the driver's sense of security can be further improved.

[0065] (Processing flow) Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing a routine executed by the driving support ECU 110 in the second embodiment. The driving support ECU 110 executes the routine in Fig. 14 instead of the routine in Fig. 8. The routine in Fig. 14 differs from the routine in Fig. 8 in that steps 1401 to 1405 are added. Note that the same steps as those in Fig. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0066] When the first start condition is satisfied, the driving support ECU 110 determines "Yes" in step 712 and sets the first flag Flg1 to "1" (step 713). Next, the driving support ECU 110 determines which of cases a to d the current situation corresponds to based on the vehicle surroundings information (step 1401).

[0067] In case a, the driving support ECU 110 selects the map MP1 (step 1402). In case b, the driving support ECU 110 selects the map MP2 (step 1403). In case c, the driving support ECU 110 selects the map MP3 (step 1404). In case d, the driving support ECU 110 selects the map MP4 (step 1405).

[0068] Thereafter, the cruise assist ECU 110 calculates a line Lofs using the selected map, and sets the line Lofs as a target trajectory TL (step 714). The processes after this step (steps 718 and 719) are the same as those in FIG.

[0069] (effect) According to the above configuration, the cruise support ECU 110 determines whether the second adjacent vehicle OV2 exists in the second adjacent lane Ln2, and if the second adjacent vehicle OV2 exists, changes the correction value dc. Specifically, the smaller the magnitude (absolute value) of the distance in the vehicle front-rear direction between the host vehicle VA and the second adjacent vehicle OV2, the smaller the magnitude (absolute value) of the correction value dc. Therefore, the driver's sense of security can be improved.

[0070] (Modification) The cruise support ECU 110 may be configured to proceed to step 1401 if the determination in step 715 is "No." In this case, the cruise support ECU 110 can appropriately select one of the maps MP1 to MP4 in accordance with a change in the relationship between the host vehicle VA and the second adjacent vehicle OV2.

[0071] In the first control, the driving assistance ECU 110 may set the control gain of the steering control when the second adjacent vehicle OV2 is present in the second adjacent lane Ln2 (for example, case b, case c, or case d) to be larger than when the second adjacent vehicle OV2 is not present in the second adjacent lane Ln2 (case a). In this configuration, for example, when the driver of the host vehicle VA operates the steering wheel in case d, the driving assistance ECU 110 applies a large torque to the steering mechanism to return the lateral position of the host vehicle VA to the target trajectory TL. Therefore, the driver feels a large load on the operation of the steering wheel. Therefore, the lateral position of the host vehicle VA is easily maintained on the target trajectory TL. It is possible to prevent the host vehicle VA from approaching the second adjacent vehicle OV2.

[0072] <Example 3> The configuration of the third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 15. Fig. 15 shows a map MP5 for calculating a correction factor Rc by which the correction value dc1 is multiplied. In the first situation, the driving support ECU 110 multiplies the correction value dc1 (e.g., -0.4 m) by the correction factor Rc to calculate the final correction value dc of the lateral position of the host vehicle VA (dc=dc1×Rc).

[0073] The map MP5 defines the relationship between the inter-vehicle time Tin between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1 and the correction factor Rc. The cruise support ECU 110 can calculate the inter-vehicle time Tin based on the relative speed and distance Dx of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 to the host vehicle VA. When the inter-vehicle time Tin is 5s, this means that the host vehicle VA is located relatively far behind the first adjacent vehicle OV1. Therefore, the correction factor Rc is 0%. In this case, the cruise support ECU 110 travels along the center line Lc. When the inter-vehicle time Tin becomes smaller, the correction factor Rc becomes larger. That is, the closer the host vehicle VA is to the first adjacent vehicle OV1, the larger the magnitude (absolute value) of the final correction value dc becomes.

[0074] (Processing flow) The driving support ECU 110 in the third embodiment executes the routines in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. However, the process of step 714 is different from that of the first embodiment. In step 714, the driving support ECU 110 obtains a correction factor Rc by using the map MP5. The driving support ECU 110 obtains a final correction value dc by multiplying the correction factor Rc by the correction value dc1. The driving support ECU 110 calculates a line Lofs by using the correction value dc, and sets the line Lofs as a target locus TL.

[0075] (effect) According to the above configuration, the cruise assist ECU 110 can offset the lateral position of the host vehicle VA to the right with respect to the center line Lc in accordance with the inter-vehicle time Tin. The host vehicle VA passes on the right side of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 with a larger gap between the first adjacent vehicle OV1. This can reduce the possibility that the driver will feel uneasy. Furthermore, the cruise assist ECU 110 uses the map MP5 to gradually change the correction value dc in accordance with the inter-vehicle time Tin. According to this configuration, the lateral position of the vehicle VA can be smoothly changed in accordance with the inter-vehicle time Tin.

[0076] <Example 4> In the second situation, it is assumed that the relative speed of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 with respect to the host vehicle VA is relatively high. In this case, when the first adjacent vehicle OV1 passes beside the host vehicle VA, the host vehicle VA may sway laterally due to wind pressure caused by the passage of the first adjacent vehicle OV1. Therefore, the driver of the host vehicle VA may feel uneasy. Therefore, in the second situation, the cruise support ECU 110 calculates the relative speed Vrs of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 with respect to the host vehicle VA. The relative speed Vrs is the difference between the speed V1 of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 and the speed Va of the host vehicle VA (Vrs=V1-Va). When the relative speed Vrs is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed threshold Vrth, the cruise support ECU 110 executes the first control. On the other hand, when the relative speed Vrs is less than the predetermined speed threshold Vrth, the cruise support ECU 110 executes the second control.

[0077] (Processing flow) Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing a routine executed by the driving support ECU 110 in the fourth embodiment. The driving support ECU 110 executes the routine in Fig. 16 instead of the routine in Fig. 8. The routine in Fig. 16 differs from the routine in Fig. 8 in that steps 1601 to 1602 are added. The same steps as those in Fig. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0078] When the second start condition is satisfied in step 706 of the routine in FIG. 7, the driving support ECU 110 proceeds to step 1601 via step 707. The driving support ECU 110 judges whether the relative speed Vrs is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed threshold Vrth (step 1601). If the relative speed Vrs is equal to or greater than the predetermined speed threshold Vrth, the driving support ECU 110 judges "Yes" and proceeds to step 1602. The driving support ECU 110 calculates a line Lofs using the correction value dc, and sets the line Lofs as the target trajectory TL (step 1602). The correction value dc may be "dc1 (e.g., -0.4 m)". The correction value dc may be determined to change according to the distance Dx or the inter-vehicle time Tin as described above. The processes after this step (steps 718 and 719) are the same as those in FIG. 8.

[0079] On the other hand, if the relative speed Vrs is not equal to or greater than the predetermined speed threshold Vrth, the cruise assist ECU 110 judges “No” and executes steps 710 , 718 , and 719 .

[0080] (effect) According to the above configuration, when the relative speed Vrs is high, the cruise support ECU 110 executes the first control to set the target trajectory TL away from the first adjacent lane Ln1. The interval between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1 increases. When the first adjacent vehicle OV1 passes beside the host vehicle VA, the possibility that the host vehicle VA will sway laterally due to the wind pressure generated by the passage of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 can be reduced. Therefore, the possibility that the driver of the host vehicle VA will feel uneasy can be reduced.

[0081] <Example 5> The configuration of the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 17. In the first situation, when the host vehicle VA passes the first adjacent vehicle OV1, there may be an adjacent vehicle OV3 in front of the first adjacent vehicle OV1. In this case, the lateral position of the host vehicle VA returns to the center line Lc once, and then moves again onto the line Lofs. Since the host vehicle VA staggers laterally, the driver of the host vehicle VA may feel uneasy. In consideration of this, if the host vehicle VA passes the first adjacent vehicle OV1 and there is an adjacent vehicle OV3 in front of the first adjacent vehicle OV1, the cruise support ECU 110 continues the first control. The lateral position of the host vehicle VA is maintained on the line Lofs. It is possible to prevent the host vehicle VA from staggering laterally.

[0082] (Processing flow) The driving support ECU 110 in the fifth embodiment executes the routines in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. However, the process of step 715 is different from that of the first embodiment. In step 715, the driving support ECU 110 determines whether the following first end condition is satisfied. In this embodiment, the first end condition is satisfied when both the condition B1 and the condition B2 are satisfied. (Condition B1): Distance Dx ≧ second distance threshold Dxth2 (predetermined positive value) (Condition B2): There is no other adjacent vehicle within a predetermined distance range ahead of the first adjacent vehicle OV1.

[0083] (effect) According to the above configuration, when the adjacent vehicle OV3 is further present ahead of the first adjacent vehicle OV1, the cruise assist ECU 110 continues the first control. This can prevent the host vehicle VA from swaying laterally. This can reduce the possibility that the driver of the host vehicle VA feels uneasy.

[0084] <Example 6> In the first situation, when the speed Va of the host vehicle VA is significantly greater than the speed V1 of the first adjacent vehicle OV1, the time it takes for the host vehicle VA to overtake the first adjacent vehicle OV1 is short. If the host vehicle VA moves laterally in a short time due to the first control, the driver of the host vehicle VA may feel uneasy. Taking this into consideration, in the first situation, the cruise assistance ECU 110 calculates the time Tov that it takes for the host vehicle VA to overtake the first adjacent vehicle OV1. If the time Tov is equal to or less than a predetermined time threshold Toth, the cruise assistance ECU 110 maintains the current lateral position of the host vehicle VA.

[0085] (Processing flow) Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing a routine executed by the driving support ECU 110 in the sixth embodiment. The driving support ECU 110 executes the routine in Fig. 18 instead of the routine in Fig. 8. The routine in Fig. 18 differs from the routine in Fig. 8 in that steps 1801 to 1802 are added. Note that the same steps as those in Fig. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0086] When the first start condition is satisfied (step 712), the cruise assist ECU 110 executes step 713 and proceeds to step 1801. The cruise assist ECU 110 determines whether the time Tov is equal to or less than the time threshold value Toth (step 1801). If the time Tov is equal to or less than the time threshold value Toth, the cruise assist ECU 110 determines "Yes" and proceeds to step 1802. The cruise assist ECU 110 corrects the target trajectory TL so that the current lateral position of the host vehicle VA is maintained. The processes after this step (steps 718 and 719) are the same as those in FIG. 8.

[0087] On the other hand, if the time Tov is not equal to or less than the time threshold value Toth, the driving support ECU 110 judges "No" and proceeds to step 714. The processes after this step (step 714, step 718, and step 719) are the same as those in FIG.

[0088] (effect) According to the above configuration, when the time Tov is equal to or less than the time threshold value Toth during execution of the first control, the driving assistance ECU 110 corrects the target trajectory TL so that the current lateral position of the host vehicle VA is maintained. Therefore, the lateral movement of the host vehicle VA is suppressed. The possibility that the driver of the host vehicle VA feels uneasy can be reduced.

[0089] <Example 7> The configuration of the seventh embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 19. There are cases where the accuracy of the vehicle surrounding sensor 140 is low. The cruise support ECU 110 uses a reliability DR defined below to accurately determine whether the current situation is the first situation. The reliability DR is an index that indicates the likelihood of the proximity between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1. The cruise support ECU 110 calculates the reliability DR using a distance Dy. As shown in FIG. 19, the distance Dy is the distance between the first adjacent vehicle OV1 and the left lane marking LL that indicates the boundary between the host lane Ln0 and the first adjacent lane Ln1. The distance Dy is calculated as a positive value.

[0090] The travel support ECU 110 adds, subtracts, or maintains the reliability DR according to the table in FIG. 20 at a predetermined cycle dT (for example, 50 ms). In this example, the upper limit value of the reliability DR is "20", and the lower limit value of the reliability DR is "0". In FIG. 20, Dy1 < Dy2 < Dy3. When the travel support ECU 110 detects the first adjacent vehicle OV1, it starts calculating the reliability DR. The reliability DR is "0" at the initial time point.

[0091] When Dy < Dy1, the travel support ECU 110 adds "2.0" to the reliability DR. When Dy1 ≤ Dy ≤ Dy2, the travel support ECU 110 adds "1.0" to the reliability DR. When Dy2 ≤ Dy ≤ Dy3, the travel support ECU 110 maintains the current reliability DR. When Dy3 < Dy, the travel support ECU 110 subtracts "1.0" from the reliability DR.

[0092] The travel support ECU 110 determines the start of the first control using the reliability DR. In this example, the first start condition is satisfied when (i) the first adjacent vehicle OV1 exists in front of the host vehicle VA, (ii) the speed Va of the host vehicle VA is greater than the speed V1 of the first adjacent vehicle OV1, and (iii) the reliability DR reaches "20". Similarly, the travel support ECU 110 determines the start of the second control using the reliability DR. In this example, the second start condition is satisfied when (i) the first adjacent vehicle OV1 exists behind the host vehicle VA, (ii) the speed V1 of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 is greater than the speed Va of the host vehicle VA, and (iii) the reliability DR reaches "20".

[0093] The driving support ECU 110 may determine the end of the first control by using the reliability DR. In this example, the driving support ECU 110 gradually reduces the reliability DR after starting the first control. The first end condition is met when the reliability DR reaches a predetermined value (for example, any value between 0 and 10). Similarly, the driving support ECU 110 may determine the end of the second control by using the reliability DR. In this example, the driving support ECU 110 gradually reduces the reliability DR after starting the second control. The second end condition is met when the reliability DR reaches a predetermined value (for example, any value between 0 and 10).

[0094] (effect) According to the above configuration, the driving support ECU 110 judges whether the current situation is the first situation or the second situation according to the change in the distance Dy. Even if the accuracy of the vehicle surroundings sensor 140 is low, the vehicle surroundings sensor 140 is not easily affected by noise and chattering of the judgment result can be eliminated. The accuracy of judging whether the current situation is the first situation or the second situation can be improved.

[0095] (Modification) The reliability DR is not limited to the above example, and may be calculated using the relative speed of the first adjacent vehicle OV1 with respect to the host vehicle VA and / or the distance Dx in the fore-and-aft direction between the host vehicle VA and the first adjacent vehicle OV1.

[0096] The driving assistance ECU 110 may add, subtract or maintain the reliability DR according to the table of FIG. 21 at a predetermined period dT (for example, 50 ms). The table of FIG. 21 is a table used to determine the first situation, and is used in a situation where the distance Dx is a negative value. In FIG. 21, Dx1 and Dx2 are both negative values, and Dx1>Dx2. According to this table, the reliability DR increases as the host vehicle VA approaches the first adjacent vehicle OV1 from behind the first adjacent vehicle OV1. On the other hand, it is assumed that the host vehicle VA decelerates in a situation where the host vehicle VA is present behind the first adjacent vehicle OV1, and thus the host vehicle VA gradually moves away from the first adjacent vehicle OV1. In this case, the reliability DR decreases. In this example, the upper limit value of the reliability DR is "20", and the lower limit value of the reliability DR is "0". The driving assistance ECU 110 uses the reliability DR to determine the start of the first control. The first start condition is met when the reliability DR reaches "20". Furthermore, the driving support ECU 110 determines the end of the first control using the reliability DR. After starting the first control, the driving support ECU 110 gradually reduces the reliability DR. The first end condition is met when the reliability DR reaches a predetermined value (for example, any value between 0 and 10). According to this configuration, the driving support ECU 110 is configured to determine the first situation according to a change in the distance Dx. Even if the accuracy of the vehicle surroundings sensor 140 is low, the accuracy of determining the first situation can be improved. The driving support ECU 110 may determine the second situation using a similar method.

[0097] <Example 8> The configuration of the eighth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 22. The cruise support ECU 110 may set a first area A1 in front of the host vehicle VA and in the first adjacent lane Ln1 in order to determine the first situation. The first area A1 is an area for determining whether there is a first adjacent vehicle OV1 that the host vehicle VA will overtake. The cruise support ECU 110 may start the first control when the first adjacent vehicle OV1 enters the first area A1. The cruise support ECU 110 may end the first control when the first adjacent vehicle OV1 leaves the first area A1.

[0098] The cruise assist ECU 110 may change the length Lx1 of the first area A1 in the front-rear direction in accordance with the speed Va of the host vehicle VA. For example, the length Lx1 may be set to be greater as the speed Va increases.

[0099] Furthermore, the cruise assistance ECU 110 may change the length Lx1 of the first area A1 in the front-rear direction in accordance with the curvature of the host vehicle VA.

[0100] In another example, as shown in FIG. 23, it is assumed that the host vehicle VA is about to overtake the first adjacent vehicle OV1 and the second adjacent vehicle OV2 is about to overtake the host vehicle VA. In this case, the cruise support ECU 110 may set a second area A2 in the second adjacent lane Ln2. The second area A2 is used to determine case d. That is, when the first adjacent vehicle OV1 is in the first area A1 and the second adjacent vehicle OV2 is in the second area A2, the cruise support ECU 110 executes processing for case d. The cruise support ECU 110 obtains a correction value dc according to the map MP4 shown in FIG. 13. The cruise support ECU 110 calculates a line Lofs that is offset to the right by "dc4" with respect to the center line Lc. The cruise support ECU 110 sets the line Lofs as the target trajectory TL.

[0101] The second area A2 extends from a position in front of the host vehicle VA to a position behind the host vehicle VA. The length Lx2 of the second area A2 in the front-rear direction is smaller than the length Lx1 of the first area A1 in the front-rear direction, and therefore the second area A2 is smaller than the first area A1. The front end A2_f of the second area A2 is closer to the host vehicle VA than the front end A1_f of the first area A1. With this configuration, the cruise assist ECU 110 can accurately determine case d.

[0102] The cruise assist ECU 110 may change the length Lx2 of the second area A2 in the front-rear direction in accordance with the speed Va of the host vehicle VA.

[0103] Furthermore, the cruise assistance ECU 110 may change the length Lx2 of the second area A2 in the front-rear direction in accordance with the curvature of the host vehicle VA.

[0104] It should be noted that the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described configuration. Other aspects conceivable within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure are also included in the scope of the present disclosure.

[0105] The above embodiments and their variations are also applicable to a first situation in which the host vehicle VA overtakes a second adjacent vehicle OV2 traveling in the second adjacent lane Ln2, and a second situation in which the host vehicle VA is overtaken by the second adjacent vehicle OV2.

[0106] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention described in the claims. For example, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those having all of the configurations described. In addition, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 110...cruise support ECU, 120...steering ECU, 130...steering actuator, 140...vehicle surroundings sensor, 150...vehicle speed sensor

Claims

1. At least one sensor that acquires vehicle surrounding information related to a surrounding area of ​​the host vehicle; execute a determination process to determine whether a current situation is a first situation or a second situation based on the vehicle surrounding information; At least one processor configured to execute steering control for causing the host vehicle to travel along a target trajectory based on a result of the determination process; Equipped with the first situation is a situation in which the host vehicle overtakes a first other vehicle traveling in a first adjacent lane adjacent to the host vehicle's own lane, the second situation is a situation in which the host vehicle is overtaken by the first other vehicle, The processor is configured to execute a first control in the first situation to set the target trajectory away from the first adjacent lane; The processor is configured to set, in the first control, a line offset by a correction value from a center line as the target trajectory, The center line is a line connecting center positions in the road width direction of the own lane, The processor, determining whether a second other vehicle is present in a second adjacent lane that is adjacent to the own lane and is on the opposite side to the first adjacent lane; When the second other vehicle is present, the correction value is changed. It was configured as follows: Driving assistance device.

2. The driving support device according to claim 1, The processor, determining the first situation using a first area set in front of the host vehicle and within the first adjacent lane; A second area set in the second adjacent lane is used to determine whether the second other vehicle is present. It was configured as follows: Driving assistance device.

3. At least one sensor that acquires vehicle surrounding information related to a surrounding area of ​​the host vehicle; execute a determination process to determine whether a current situation is a first situation or a second situation based on the vehicle surrounding information; At least one processor configured to execute steering control for causing the host vehicle to travel along a target trajectory based on a result of the determination process; Equipped with the first situation is a situation in which the host vehicle overtakes a first other vehicle traveling in a first adjacent lane adjacent to the host vehicle's own lane, the second situation is a situation in which the host vehicle is overtaken by the first other vehicle, The processor is configured to execute a first control in the first situation to set the target trajectory away from the first adjacent lane; In the first control, the processor determining whether a second other vehicle is present in a second adjacent lane that is adjacent to the own lane and is on the opposite side to the first adjacent lane; A control gain of the steering control in a case where the second other vehicle is present is set to be larger than a control gain in a case where the second other vehicle is not present. Driving assistance device.

4. At least one sensor that acquires vehicle surrounding information related to a surrounding area of ​​the host vehicle; execute a determination process to determine whether a current situation is a first situation or a second situation based on the vehicle surrounding information; At least one processor configured to execute steering control for causing the host vehicle to travel along a target trajectory based on a result of the determination process; Equipped with the first situation is a situation in which the host vehicle overtakes a first other vehicle traveling in a first adjacent lane adjacent to the host vehicle's own lane, the second situation is a situation in which the host vehicle is overtaken by the first other vehicle, The processor is configured to execute a first control in the first situation to set the target trajectory away from the first adjacent lane; the processor is configured to correct the target trajectory so as to maintain a current lateral position of the host vehicle when a time required for the host vehicle to overtake the first other vehicle during execution of the first control is equal to or less than a predetermined time threshold. Driving assistance device.

5. At least one sensor that acquires vehicle surrounding information related to a surrounding area of ​​the host vehicle; execute a determination process to determine whether a current situation is a first situation or a second situation based on the vehicle surrounding information; At least one processor configured to execute steering control for causing the host vehicle to travel along a target trajectory based on a result of the determination process; Equipped with the first situation is a situation in which the host vehicle overtakes a first other vehicle traveling in a first adjacent lane adjacent to the host vehicle's own lane, the second situation is a situation in which the host vehicle is overtaken by the first other vehicle, The processor is configured to execute a first control in the first situation to set the target trajectory away from the first adjacent lane; The processor is configured to execute a second control in the second situation to set the target trajectory to a center line; A driving assistance device, wherein the center line is a line connecting center positions in the road width direction of the own vehicle lane.

6. At least one sensor that acquires vehicle surrounding information related to a surrounding area of ​​the host vehicle; execute a determination process to determine whether a current situation is a first situation or a second situation based on the vehicle surrounding information; At least one processor configured to execute steering control for causing the host vehicle to travel along a target trajectory based on a result of the determination process; Equipped with the first situation is a situation in which the host vehicle overtakes a first other vehicle traveling in a first adjacent lane adjacent to the host vehicle's own lane, the second situation is a situation in which the host vehicle is overtaken by the first other vehicle, The processor is configured to execute a first control to set the target trajectory to move away from the first adjacent lane when a relative speed between the host vehicle and the first other vehicle in the second situation is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed threshold. Driving assistance device.

Images