Vehicle control device and control method

Abstract

To realize a vehicle control that takes safety into consideration in preparation for a traffic participant suddenly stepping out into a road.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device 100 comprises: a recognition unit 110 that recognizes a peripheral situation of the own vehicle; a first determination unit 120 for determining whether or not a crosswalk exists in a traffic lane in which the own vehicle is to travel; a second determination unit 130 for determining whether or not there is an adjacent traffic lane in the same direction as the traffic lane in which the own vehicle is to travel; a third determination unit 140 for determining whether or not there is another vehicle stopped in front of the crosswalk on the adjacent traffic lane when it is determined that the crosswalk exists and the adjacent traffic lane exists; and a travel controlling unit 150 that performs a suppression control to suppress a travel speed of the own vehicle when it is determined that another vehicle is present.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a control method. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been a demand for improving traffic safety in order to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. From the perspective of improving traffic safety, development of driving assistance technology and autonomous driving technology for moving objects (e.g., vehicles) is progressing (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-238185 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-053755 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the conventional technology has room for improvement in terms of improving traffic safety.

[0005] The present invention provides a vehicle control device and a control method capable of improving traffic safety, which in turn further improves traffic safety and contributes to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is A vehicle control device that controls a vehicle, A recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the vehicle; A first determination unit that determines whether or not there is a pedestrian crossing in a planned travel lane of the vehicle that is traveling or is about to start traveling, based on a recognition result of the recognition unit; A second determination unit that determines whether or not there is an adjacent lane that is adjacent to the planned driving lane and has the same traveling direction as the planned driving lane, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit or map information prepared in advance; a third determination unit that, when the first determination unit determines that the crosswalk exists and the second determination unit determines that the adjacent lane exists, determines whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane and has stopped in front of the crosswalk as viewed from the vehicle, based on a recognition result from the recognition unit; and a travel control unit that executes suppression control to suppress a travel speed of the vehicle when the third determination unit determines that the other vehicle is present; Equipped with 、 The vehicle control device includes: A fourth determination unit that determines whether or not a predetermined end condition for ending the suppression control is satisfied when the suppression control is being executed by the traveling control unit, The traveling control unit terminates the suppression control when the fourth determination unit determines that the termination condition is satisfied, the fourth determination unit determines that the termination condition is satisfied when it is determined that no traffic participant is present within at least a predetermined range of the crosswalk based on the recognition result of the recognition unit; The predetermined range includes a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the intended driving lane and a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the adjacent lane. A vehicle control device.

[0007] Another aspect of the present invention is A control method executed by a computer that controls a vehicle, comprising: The computer, Recognizing the surrounding situation of the vehicle; Based on the result of the recognition of the surrounding conditions, it is determined whether or not there is a pedestrian crossing in a planned travel lane of the vehicle that is traveling or is about to start traveling; determining whether or not there is an adjacent lane that is adjacent to the planned driving lane and has the same traveling direction as the planned driving lane, based on the recognition result of the surrounding situation or map information prepared in advance; when it is determined that there is a pedestrian crossing and that there is an adjacent lane, based on the recognition result of the surrounding situation, whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane and has stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing as seen from the vehicle; When it is determined that the other vehicle is present, suppression control is executed to suppress the traveling speed of the vehicle. death, determining whether or not a predetermined end condition for terminating the suppression control is satisfied while the suppression control is being executed; When it is determined that the termination condition is satisfied, the suppression control is terminated. Processing stomach, In the process of determining whether the end condition is satisfied, when it is determined based on the recognition result that no traffic participant is present within at least a predetermined range of the crosswalk, it is determined that the end condition is satisfied; The predetermined range includes a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the intended driving lane and a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the adjacent lane. It is a control method. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle control device and a control method capable of improving traffic safety. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a vehicle system 1 including a control device 100. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram (part 1) showing a specific example of control by the control device 100. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram (part 2) showing a specific example of control by the control device 100. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a diagram (part 3) showing a specific example of control by the control device 100. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of control by the control device 100. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a process executed by the control device 100. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle control device and a control method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings should be viewed in the direction of the reference symbols. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention described in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more features among the multiple features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. In addition, in the following, identical or similar elements are given identical or similar reference symbols, and their descriptions may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0011] <Overall configuration of vehicle system 1> 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a vehicle system 1 including a control device 100 which is an embodiment of a vehicle control device of the present invention. A vehicle on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted is hereinafter also referred to as "own vehicle M1". The own vehicle M1 is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled automobile, and its driving source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using electric power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged electric power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0012] The vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a driver monitor camera 50, a navigation device 60, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 70, a driving operator 80, a turn signal 91, a control device 100, a driving force output device 200, a brake device 210, a steering device 220, and an electric parking brake device 230. These devices and equipment are connected to each other, for example, by a multiplex communication line such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, or a wireless communication network.

[0013] The camera 10 is a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), and captures an image of the surroundings of the host vehicle M1. The camera 10 is attached to an arbitrary position of the host vehicle M1.

[0014] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves to the periphery of the host vehicle M1 and detects radio waves reflected by an object (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device 12 is attached to an arbitrary location of the host vehicle M1.

[0015] The LIDAR 14 irradiates light (or electromagnetic waves with a wavelength close to that of light) around the host vehicle M1 and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between emitting and receiving the light. The irradiated light is, for example, a pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 is attached to an arbitrary position of the host vehicle M1. Also, the host vehicle M1 does not necessarily have to be equipped with the LIDAR 14.

[0016] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on some or all of the detection results of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition result to the control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 directly to the control device 100. In addition, when the host vehicle M1 does not have the LIDAR 14, the object recognition device 16 may perform sensor fusion processing on the detection results of the camera 10 and the radar device 12 to recognize the position, etc. of the object.

[0017] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle M1, for example, using a cellular network, a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0018] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M1 and accepts input operations by the occupants.

[0019] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the traveling speed (hereinafter also referred to as "vehicle speed") of the host vehicle M1, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around a vertical axis, and a direction sensor that detects the orientation of the host vehicle M1.

[0020] The driver monitor camera 50 is a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS. The driver monitor camera 50 is attached to an arbitrary position of the vehicle M1 in a position and orientation that allows the head of a passenger (hereinafter also referred to as a "driver") seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle M1 to be imaged from the front (i.e., in an orientation that images the face).

[0021] The navigation device 60 includes, for example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver 61, a navigation HMI 62, and a route determination unit 63. The navigation device 60 holds first map information 64 in a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a flash memory.

[0022] The GNSS receiver 61 determines the current position of the vehicle M1 based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The current position of the vehicle M1 may be determined or supplemented by an Inertial Navigation System (INS) that uses the output of the vehicle sensor 40.

[0023] The navigation HMI 62 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 62 may be partially or entirely shared with the HMI 30 described above.

[0024] The route determination unit 63 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter also referred to as a "route on the map") from the position of the vehicle M1 specified by the GNSS receiver 61 (or any input position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 62, with reference to the first map information 64. The first map information 64 is, for example, information in which road shapes are expressed by links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 64 may include information such as road curvature and POI (Point Of Interest) information. The route on the map is output to the MPU 70.

[0025] The navigation device 60 may provide route guidance based on the route on the map using the navigation HMI 62. The navigation device 60 may transmit the current position and the destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20, and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0026] The MPU 70 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 71, and holds second map information 72 in a storage device such as an HDD or a flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 71 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 60 into a plurality of blocks (for example, divided into 100 m intervals in the vehicle travel direction), and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 72. The recommended lane determination unit 71 determines, for example, which lane from the left the vehicle should travel in. When a branch point is present on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 71 determines a recommended lane so that the host vehicle M1 can travel a reasonable route to proceed to the branch point.

[0027] The second map information 72 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 64. The second map information 72 includes, for example, lane type information (straight-through lane, right-turn lane, left-turn lane, etc.), lane center information, lane boundary information, etc. The second map information 72 may also include road information, traffic regulation information, address information, facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 72 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with another device.

[0028] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82, as well as a turn signal lever, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to some or all of the control device 100, the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0029] The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be annular, and may be in the form of an irregular steering wheel, a joystick, buttons, etc. A steering grip sensor 84 is attached to the steering wheel 82. The steering grip sensor 84 is realized by a capacitance sensor or the like, and outputs a signal to the control device 100 that can detect whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82 or not.

[0030] The turn signals 91 are direction indicators composed of lamps (lamp bodies) and the like that are provided on the left side (e.g., the left front and left rear) and the right side (e.g., the right front and right rear) of the vehicle M1 so as to be visible from outside the vehicle M1. The turn signals 91 are turned on or off in response to the operation of a turn signal lever that is provided so as to be operable by the driver.

[0031] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) for driving the host vehicle M1 to the wheels (specifically, the drive wheels, for example the front wheels). The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, etc., and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU of the driving force output device 200 controls the above configuration according to information input from the control device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0032] Brake device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor of brake device 210 according to information input from control device 100 or information input from driving operator 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel.

[0033] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor of the steering device 220 applies a force to, for example, a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor of the steering device 220 in accordance with information input from the control device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80 to change the direction of the steered wheels.

[0034] The electric parking brake device 230 includes, for example, an electric motor that generates a gripping force (braking force) acting on a brake caliper by driving brake pads to grip the brake caliper of a wheel (e.g., a rear wheel, i.e., a non-driven wheel) of the host vehicle M1, and an electric parking brake ECU (hereinafter also referred to as "EPB-ECU"). The EPB-ECU controls the electric motor of the electric parking brake device 230 in accordance with information input from the control device 100 or information input from the driving operation device 80, and fixes the wheels of the host vehicle M1. That is, the electric parking brake device 230 is configured to be able to fix the wheels by electronic control.

[0035] <Control device> The control device 100 is a computer that controls the entire host vehicle M1, and includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a first determination unit 120, a second determination unit 130, a third determination unit 140, and a driving control unit 150.

[0036] Each of the functional units of the recognition unit 110, the first determination unit 120, the second determination unit 130, the third determination unit 140, the driving control unit 150, and the fourth determination unit 160 is realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a predetermined program (software). In addition, some or all of these may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory of the control device 100.

[0037] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M1 based on information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the moving state of the object, such as the speed and / or acceleration, in addition to the position of the object around the vehicle M1. The position of the object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M1 (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of the object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by an area.

[0038] An example of an object recognized by the recognition unit 110 is a traffic participant present in the vicinity of the vehicle M1. Here, the traffic participants include, for example, another vehicle M2, which is a car different from the vehicle M1, as well as pedestrians and bicycles. Furthermore, when the recognition unit 110 recognizes the other vehicle M2, it can also recognize whether a predetermined vehicle exterior notification is being made in the other vehicle M2. Here, the vehicle exterior notification includes, for example, notifications made by turn signals, hazard lights, stop signs, or flares.

[0039] Other examples of objects recognized by the recognition unit 110 are features related to traffic, such as road division lines, road signs, pedestrian crossings CW, and traffic lights SG. When the recognition unit 110 recognizes a traffic light SG, it may also recognize which of the green light SG_G, the yellow light SG_Y, and the red light SG_R equipped on the traffic light SG is on. Here, the green light SG_G is a signal light indicating that it is possible to proceed beyond a predetermined stop position. The yellow light SG_Y is a signal light indicating that the vehicle should not proceed beyond a predetermined stop position, except when it is not possible to stop safely. The red light SG_R is a signal light indicating that the vehicle should not proceed beyond a predetermined stop position.

[0040] The recognition unit 110 also recognizes the lane in which the vehicle M1 is currently located (hereinafter also referred to as the "own lane") and other lanes adjacent to the own lane (for example, the adjacent lane L2 described later) by, for example, comparing lane information included in the second map information 72 of the MPU 70 with road dividing lines recognized from an image captured by the camera 10. Note that this recognition may take into account the current position of the vehicle M1 acquired from the navigation device 60 and the processing results by the INS.

[0041] The first determination unit 120 determines whether or not there is a crosswalk CW in the planned driving lane L1 of the host vehicle M1 that is driving or is about to start driving, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110, and passes the determination result to the third determination unit 140. As an example, the first determination unit 120 determines whether or not there is a crosswalk CW in the planned driving lane L1 of the host vehicle M1 when the host vehicle M1 is driving by automatic driving that does not require driver's operation (i.e., the vehicle speed is greater than 0). As another example, the first determination unit 120 may start driving the host vehicle M1 when a green light SG_G is turned on at a traffic light SG in front of the host vehicle M1 during automatic driving, and perform the above determination. Note that driving by automatic driving that does not require driver's operation is also referred to as "automatic driving" hereinafter.

[0042] The planned driving lane L1 may be, for example, the lane in which the vehicle M1 is currently located. In addition, if a lane change is included in the driving plan of the vehicle M1 by autonomous driving, the planned driving lane L1 may be a lane to which the vehicle M1 will move due to the lane change.

[0043] The second determination unit 130 determines whether or not there is an adjacent lane L2 that is adjacent to the planned driving lane L1 and has the same traveling direction as the planned driving lane L1, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110 or map information prepared in advance, and passes the determination result to the third determination unit 140. For example, the second determination unit 130 can determine whether or not there is an adjacent lane L2 by referring to lane information included in the second map information 72 of the MPU 70 and information on other lanes adjacent to the own lane recognized by the recognition unit 110.

[0044] For example, when the first determination unit 120 determines that there is a pedestrian crossing CW and the second determination unit 130 determines that there is an adjacent lane L2, the third determination unit 140 determines whether or not there is another vehicle M2 located on the adjacent lane L2 and stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing CW as viewed from the host vehicle M1, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110. Then, the third determination unit 140 passes the determination result to the driving control unit 150.

[0045] In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing excessive suppression of the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1, when the first determination unit 120 determines that there is a crosswalk CW and the second determination unit 130 determines that there is an adjacent lane L2, the third determination unit 140 may determine whether or not there is another vehicle M2 located on the adjacent lane L2, stopped in front of the crosswalk CW as seen from the host vehicle M1, and within a predetermined distance from the crosswalk CW, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110. In this way, it is possible to prevent the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1 from being suppressed based on the other vehicle M2 stopped at a position far away from the crosswalk CW, that is, the other vehicle M2 that is likely to have stopped due to a stopping cause unrelated to the presence or absence of a traffic participant who is crossing or about to cross the crosswalk CW.

[0046] From the same viewpoint as above, when the first determination unit 120 determines that there is a crosswalk CW and the second determination unit 130 determines that there is an adjacent lane L2, the third determination unit 140 may determine whether or not there is another vehicle M2 that is located on the adjacent lane L2, that is stopped in front of the crosswalk CW as seen from the vehicle M1, and that is not performing the above-mentioned vehicle exterior warning, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110. Even in this manner, it is possible to prevent the vehicle speed of the vehicle M1 from being suppressed based on the other vehicle M2 that is likely to be stopped due to a stopping cause unrelated to the presence or absence of a traffic participant who is crossing or about to cross the crosswalk CW.

[0047] When the third determination unit 140 determines that there is another vehicle M2 that satisfies the above condition, the traveling control unit 150 executes suppression control (hereinafter also referred to as "vehicle speed suppression control") to suppress the traveling speed (i.e., vehicle speed) of the host vehicle M1. As an example, when the traveling control unit 150 executes the vehicle speed suppression control, the traveling control unit 150 slows down the host vehicle M1 that is automatically traveling. Here, slowing down means that the host vehicle M1 is driven at a vehicle speed (for example, 10 km / h or less) that allows the host vehicle M1 to be stopped immediately.

[0048] That is, when there is another vehicle M2 stopped in front of the crosswalk CW, it is assumed that there is a traffic participant (e.g., a pedestrian) crossing or about to cross the crosswalk CW. Therefore, when there is another vehicle M2 stopped in front of the crosswalk CW on the adjacent lane L2, it is possible to realize a control that takes safety into consideration in preparation for a traffic participant jumping out from the shadow of the other vehicle M2 into the planned lane L1 of the vehicle M1 by suppressing the vehicle speed. Therefore, it is possible to improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0049] The control device 100 may further include a fourth determination unit 160. Here, the fourth determination unit 160 determines whether or not a predetermined end condition for ending the vehicle speed suppression control is satisfied when the vehicle speed suppression control is being executed by the traveling control unit 150, and passes the determination result to the traveling control unit 150. Then, when the fourth determination unit 160 determines that the end condition is satisfied, the traveling control unit 150 ends the vehicle speed suppression control.

[0050] As an example, the fourth determination unit 160 may determine that the end condition is satisfied when it is determined that no traffic participant is present at least in a predetermined range on the crosswalk CW based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110. Here, the predetermined range includes a portion of the crosswalk CW that overlaps with the planned driving lane L1 and a portion that overlaps with the adjacent lane L2 adjacent to the planned driving lane L1. In other words, the fourth determination unit 160 may determine that the end condition is satisfied when it is confirmed that no traffic participant such as a pedestrian is present in the portion of the crosswalk CW that overlaps with the planned driving lane L1 and the portion that overlaps with the adjacent lane L2. This makes it possible to terminate the vehicle speed suppression control when it is confirmed that there is a low possibility that a traffic participant will jump out from the shadow of the other vehicle M2 into the planned driving lane L1 of the host vehicle M1.

[0051] As another example, the fourth determination unit 160 may determine that the end condition is satisfied when the vehicle M1 passes through the crosswalk CW. In this way, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the traveling speed of the vehicle M1 is restricted continues indefinitely even though the vehicle M1 has passed through the crosswalk CW, thereby preventing a decrease in user convenience.

[0052] <Specific examples of control by the control device> Next, a specific example of control by the control device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG.

[0053] First, common contents in each example shown in Figures 2 to 5 will be described. In Figures 2 to 5, road L is a two-lane road with a left lane LL, which is the left lane of the two lanes, and a right lane RL, which is the right lane of the two lanes. The arrow indicated by the symbol A1 indicates the traveling direction of the left lane LL, and the arrow indicated by the symbol A2 indicates the traveling direction of the right lane RL.

[0054] The vehicle M1 is automatically traveling in the left lane LL, and the left lane LL (more specifically, the lane ahead of the vehicle M1 in the left lane LL) is the planned travel lane L1. A pedestrian crossing CW is present in the planned travel lane L1, and the green light SG_G of the traffic light SG ahead of the vehicle M1 is on.

[0055] The detectable area AR shown in Figure 2 etc. represents the area in which the recognition unit 110 can recognize (i.e., detect) traffic participants in front of the vehicle M1 based on information obtained by the camera 10, radar device 12, LIDAR 14, etc. of the vehicle M1.

[0056] Hereinafter, each of the examples shown in Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 will be described. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the right lane RL is adjacent to the left lane LL, which is the planned travel lane L1, and has the same traveling direction as the left lane LL (see the arrows indicated by the symbols A1 and A2), and is therefore the adjacent lane L2. Furthermore, although there is a pedestrian crossing CW in the planned travel lane L1 of the host vehicle M1, and the green light SG_G is on at the traffic light SG ahead of the host vehicle M1, another vehicle M2 in the adjacent lane L2 is stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing CW.

[0057] Here, the stopping position of the other vehicle M2 is within a predetermined distance d from the crosswalk CW, and part of the stopped other vehicle M2 is included in part of the detectable area AR of the host vehicle M1 traveling toward the crosswalk CW. Therefore, an area ARa (hereinafter also referred to as a "blind spot area") that is shaded by the other vehicle M2 as seen from the host vehicle M1 is generated. This blind spot area ARa overlaps with part of the crosswalk CW. Therefore, even if a traffic participant such as a pedestrian H crossing the crosswalk CW is present in the part of the crosswalk CW that overlaps with the blind spot area ARa, the control device 100 cannot recognize it. Therefore, in such a case, it is desirable to execute a control that takes safety into consideration in preparation for a traffic participant jumping out from the blind spot area ARa.

[0058] In this example, the first determination unit 120 of the control device 100 determines that the planned driving lane L1 has a crosswalk CW, and the second determination unit 130 determines that the adjacent lane L2 has the same traveling direction as the planned driving lane L1. The third determination unit 140 determines that there is another vehicle M2 located on the adjacent lane L2, stopped in front of the crosswalk CW as seen from the vehicle M1, and within a predetermined distance d from the crosswalk CW, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110. Then, based on the determination by the third determination unit 140 that such another vehicle M2 exists, the traveling control unit 150 executes vehicle speed suppression control to suppress the vehicle speed of the vehicle M1.

[0059] In this way, when there is another vehicle M2 stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing CW on the adjacent lane L2 traveling in the same direction as the planned lane L1 of the vehicle M1, the vehicle speed of the vehicle M1 is suppressed, thereby realizing a control that takes safety into consideration in preparation for a traffic participant (e.g., a pedestrian H) jumping out from the shadow of the other vehicle M2 (e.g., a blind spot area ARa) into the planned lane L1. This can therefore improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0060] Furthermore, the control device 100 executes the vehicle speed suppression control based on the presence of the stopped other vehicle M2 within a predetermined distance d from the crosswalk CW, for example, and suppresses the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1. This makes it possible to prevent the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1 from being suppressed based on the other vehicle M2 that is stopped at a position far away from the crosswalk CW, that is, the other vehicle M2 that is likely to have stopped due to a stopping cause unrelated to the presence or absence of a traffic participant (e.g., a pedestrian H) who is crossing or about to cross the crosswalk CW. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of excessive suppression of the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1.

[0061] In the example shown in Fig. 3, the crosswalk CW is provided at the intersection CS where the road L intersects with another road LT, and the right lane RL is a right-turn-only lane at the intersection CS, which is different from the example shown in Fig. 2. In this case, the right lane RL does not correspond to the adjacent lane L2 described above because the traveling direction of the right lane RL after the intersection CS is different from that of the left lane LL. Therefore, in this example, as shown in Fig. 3, even if another vehicle M2 is present in front of the crosswalk CW as seen from the host vehicle M1 in the right lane RL, the third determination unit 140 makes a negative determination, and the vehicle speed suppression control by the driving control unit 150 is not executed.

[0062] In contrast, if, in the example shown in Figure 3, the right lane RL is not a right-turn-only lane at the intersection CS, but is a lane that is included in the road L after the intersection CS, like the left lane LL (in other words, a lane that can travel in the direction of the road L from the intersection CS), it would fall under the aforementioned adjacent lane L2, and vehicle speed suppression control would be executed by the driving control unit 150.

[0063] In this way, when the crosswalk CW of the planned driving lane L1 is provided at the intersection CS, the vehicle speed suppression control is executed based on the fact that the planned driving lane L1 and the adjacent lane L2 are lanes included in one road (for example, road L shown in FIG. 3) both before and after the intersection CS, thereby preventing the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1 from being suppressed based on another vehicle M2 (for example, another vehicle M2 waiting to turn right as shown in FIG. 3) on a lane that is to proceed to another road, such as a right-turn-only lane. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of excessive suppression of the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1.

[0064] The example shown in Fig. 4 differs from the example shown in Fig. 2 in that the other vehicle M2 stopped in front of the crosswalk CW performs an external warning by turning on its hazard lamps. In this case, since the other vehicle M2 stopped in front of the crosswalk CW performs an external warning by turning on its hazard lamps, the third determination unit 140 makes a negative determination, and the vehicle speed suppression control by the traveling control unit 150 is not executed.

[0065] In this way, even if there is another vehicle M2 stopped in front of the crosswalk CW, if the other vehicle M2 is making a predetermined vehicle external alert such as turning on its hazard lamps, the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1 is not suppressed, thereby preventing the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1 from being suppressed based on the other vehicle M2 that is stopped due to a stopping factor unrelated to the presence or absence of a traffic participant (e.g., pedestrian H) who is crossing or about to cross the crosswalk. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of excessive suppression of the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1.

[0066] In the example shown in FIG. 4, when the other vehicle M2 stopped in front of the crosswalk CW makes an external warning such as turning on a hazard lamp, the vehicle speed suppression control is not executed, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the other vehicle M2 stopped in front of the crosswalk CW makes other external warnings such as a turn signal, a stop sign, or a flare, the vehicle speed suppression control may not be executed. Also, for example, when there is a traffic guide instructing the other vehicle M2 stopped in front of the crosswalk CW to overtake, the vehicle speed suppression control may not be executed. Or, when a vehicle following the other vehicle M2 stopped in front of the crosswalk CW shows a behavior of overtaking the other vehicle M2, the vehicle speed suppression control may not be executed. That is, in these cases, it is considered that the other vehicle M2 is likely to be stopped for a reason other than the presence or absence of a traffic participant (e.g., a pedestrian H) who is crossing or about to cross the crosswalk.

[0067] The example shown in Fig. 5 is an example of a case where vehicle speed suppression control is terminated. In Fig. 5, when the host vehicle M1 is at the position shown by the solid line, a part of the other vehicle M2 that is stopped is included in a part of the detectable area AR of the host vehicle M1 traveling toward the crosswalk CW, so that a blind spot area ARa is generated as shown by the dashed line. The blind spot area ARa overlaps with a part of the crosswalk CW. Therefore, in this case, similar to the example shown in Fig. 2, the control device 100 (travel control unit 150) executes vehicle speed suppression control.

[0068] After the vehicle speed suppression control is started, the fourth determination unit 160 determines whether or not it has been confirmed that no traffic participants such as pedestrians are present in the part of the crosswalk CW that overlaps with the planned driving lane L1 and the part that overlaps with the adjacent lane L2. In this example, when the vehicle M1 moves to the position shown by the dotted line, the entire crosswalk CW, including the part of the crosswalk CW that overlaps with the planned driving lane L1 and the part that overlaps with the adjacent lane L2, enters the detectable area AR, and it has been confirmed that no traffic participants such as pedestrians are present in the crosswalk CW. Therefore, the fourth determination unit 160 determines that the end condition of the vehicle speed suppression control is satisfied. Then, based on this determination result, the driving control unit 150 ends the vehicle speed suppression control.

[0069] In this way, when it is confirmed that there are no pedestrians or other traffic participants in either the portion of the crosswalk CW that overlaps with the planned driving lane L1 or the portion that overlaps with the adjacent lane L2, the vehicle speed suppression control is terminated, making it possible to terminate the vehicle speed suppression control if there is a low possibility that a traffic participant will jump out from the shadow of the other vehicle M2 into the planned driving lane L1 of the host vehicle M1.

[0070] 5, even if it is not possible to confirm that no traffic participants are present on the crosswalk CW, if the vehicle M1 passes through the crosswalk CW, the fourth determination unit 160 may determine that the end condition for the vehicle speed suppression control is satisfied. Then, based on this determination result, the traveling control unit 150 may end the vehicle speed suppression control. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the vehicle speed of the vehicle M1 continues to be suppressed indefinitely despite the vehicle M1 having passed through the crosswalk CW, thereby preventing a decrease in user convenience.

[0071] <An example of processing executed by the control device 100> Next, an example of the processing executed by the control device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. For example, the control device 100 executes the processing shown in Fig. 6 at a predetermined cycle while the host vehicle M1 is autonomously traveling. Note that while the host vehicle M1 is autonomously traveling, in addition to the processing shown in Fig. 6, the control device 100 also executes processing (not shown) for implementing collision avoidance control that brakes and / or steers the host vehicle M1 to avoid collision between the object and the host vehicle M1 when the control device 100 detects (i.e. recognizes) an object that may collide with the host vehicle M1.

[0072] 6, the control device 100 first determines whether or not the green light SG_G of the traffic light SG ahead of the host vehicle M1 is on (step S1). If it is determined that the green light SG_G is not on (step S1: NO), the control device 100 repeats the process of step S1.

[0073] On the other hand, if it is determined that the green light SG_G is on (step S1: YES), the control device 100 determines whether or not there is a pedestrian crossing CW in the planned driving lane L1 of the vehicle M1 (step S2). If it is determined that there is no pedestrian crossing CW in the planned driving lane L1 (step S2: NO), the control device 100 ends the process shown in FIG.

[0074] On the other hand, if it is determined that there is a crosswalk CW (step S2: YES), the control device 100 determines whether or not there is an adjacent lane L2 (step S3). If it is determined that there is no adjacent lane L2 (step S3: NO), the control device 100 ends the process shown in FIG.

[0075] If it is determined that there is an adjacent lane L2 (step S3: YES), it is determined whether or not there is another vehicle M2 located on the adjacent lane L2 and stopped in front of the crosswalk CW (step S4). If it is determined that there is no such vehicle M2 (step S4: NO), the control device 100 ends the process shown in Fig. 6. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is a such vehicle M2 (step S4: YES), the control device 100 starts a vehicle speed suppression control that suppresses the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M1 (step S5).

[0076] Then, the control device 100 judges whether or not it has been confirmed that no traffic participants are present on the crosswalk CW (step S6). If it has been confirmed that no traffic participants are present on the crosswalk CW (step S6: YES), the control device 100 proceeds directly to the process of step S8.

[0077] On the other hand, if it is not confirmed that there are no traffic participants on the crosswalk CW (step S6: NO), the control device 100 judges whether the vehicle M1 has passed the crosswalk CW (step S7). If it is determined that the vehicle M1 has passed the crosswalk CW (step S7: YES), the control device 100 ends the vehicle speed suppression control (step S8) and ends the process shown in FIG. 6.

[0078] As described above, according to this embodiment, when another vehicle M2 is stopped in front of the crosswalk CW on the adjacent lane L2 in the same traveling direction as the planned travel lane L1 of the vehicle M1, the vehicle speed suppression control is executed to suppress the vehicle speed of the vehicle M1, thereby realizing a control that takes safety into consideration in preparation for a traffic participant jumping out from the shadow of the other vehicle M2 into the planned travel lane L1 of the vehicle M1. This can improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0079] Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modified or altered examples within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components in the above-described embodiment may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0080] In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle control device of the present invention is realized by the control device 100 mounted on the vehicle M1, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the vehicle control device of the present invention may be realized by a server capable of communicating with the control device 100. In this case, for example, each process of the control device 100 described above may be performed by a processing unit realized by the CPU of the server. In addition, the vehicle control device of the present invention may be realized by the control device 100 and the server working together, and for example, part of the process of the control device 100 described above may be executed by the server.

[0081] The control method described in the above-mentioned embodiment can be realized by executing a prepared program on a computer. This program (control program) is stored in a computer-readable storage medium and is executed by reading it from the storage medium. This program may be provided in a form stored in a non-volatile (non-transient) storage medium such as a flash memory, or may be provided via a network such as the Internet. The computer that executes this program may be included in the vehicle M1, or may be included in an external device (e.g., a server) that can communicate with the vehicle M1.

[0082] This specification etc. describes at least the following items. Note that, in parentheses, components etc. corresponding to those in the above-mentioned embodiment are shown, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0083] (1) A vehicle control device (control device 100) for controlling a vehicle (host vehicle M1), A recognition unit (recognition unit 110) that recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle; A first determination unit (first determination unit 120) that determines whether or not there is a pedestrian crossing (a pedestrian crossing CW) in a planned driving lane (a planned driving lane L1) of the vehicle that is driving or about to start driving, based on a recognition result of the recognition unit; A second determination unit (second determination unit 130) that determines whether or not there is an adjacent lane (adjacent lane L2) that is adjacent to the planned driving lane and has the same traveling direction as the planned driving lane, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit or pre-prepared map information (second map information 72); a third determination unit (third determination unit 140) that, when the first determination unit determines that the crosswalk exists and the second determination unit determines that the adjacent lane exists, determines whether or not there is another vehicle (another vehicle M2) that is located on the adjacent lane and has stopped in front of the crosswalk as viewed from the vehicle, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit; a driving control unit (driving control unit 150) that executes suppression control to suppress the driving speed of the vehicle when the third determination unit determines that the other vehicle is present; A vehicle control device comprising:

[0084] When there is another vehicle stopped in front of a pedestrian crossing, it is assumed that there is a traffic participant who is crossing or about to cross the pedestrian crossing. According to (1), when there is another vehicle stopped in front of a pedestrian crossing in an adjacent lane in the same traveling direction as the lane in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel, the traveling speed of the vehicle is suppressed. This makes it possible to realize a safety-conscious control in preparation for a traffic participant jumping out from the shadow of the other vehicle into the lane in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel. Therefore, it can improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0085] (2) The vehicle control device according to (1), The crosswalk is a crosswalk provided at an intersection (intersection CS) where one road (road L) and another road (road LT) intersect, The planned driving lane and the adjacent lane are lanes included in the one road both before and after the intersection. Vehicle control device.

[0086] According to (2), it is possible to prevent the vehicle's speed from being restricted based on other vehicles on lanes that move from one road to another, such as a right-turn exclusive lane, thereby realizing control that considers safety while suppressing a decrease in user convenience.

[0087] (3) A vehicle control device according to (1) or (2), the third determination unit, when the first determination unit determines that the crosswalk exists and the second determination unit determines that the adjacent lane exists, determines, based on a recognition result from the recognition unit, whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane, that has stopped in front of the crosswalk as viewed from the vehicle, and that is within a predetermined distance from the crosswalk. Vehicle control device.

[0088] When another vehicle is stopped at a position away from the crosswalk, the cause of the stop is likely to be unrelated to the presence or absence of traffic participants who are crossing or about to cross the crosswalk. According to (3), the traveling speed of the vehicle is suppressed when another vehicle is stopped within a predetermined distance from the crosswalk, so it is possible to prevent the traveling speed of the vehicle from being suppressed based on another vehicle that is stopped due to a stopping cause unrelated to the presence or absence of traffic participants who are crossing or about to cross the crosswalk. This makes it possible to realize control that considers safety while suppressing a decrease in user convenience.

[0089] (4) A vehicle control device according to any one of (1) to (3), the third determination unit, when the first determination unit determines that the pedestrian crossing exists and the second determination unit determines that the adjacent lane exists, determines, based on a recognition result from the recognition unit, whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane, has stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing as viewed from the vehicle, and has not issued a predetermined vehicle exterior warning. Vehicle control device.

[0090] When a stopped vehicle is making a predetermined vehicle external warning, the cause of the stop is likely to be unrelated to the presence or absence of traffic participants who are crossing or about to cross the crosswalk. According to (4), since the traveling speed of the vehicle is suppressed when the other vehicle is not making an external warning, it is possible to prevent the traveling speed of the vehicle from being suppressed based on the other vehicle that is stopped due to a stopping cause unrelated to the presence or absence of traffic participants who are crossing or about to cross the crosswalk. This makes it possible to realize control that considers safety while suppressing a decrease in user convenience.

[0091] (5) A vehicle control device according to (4), The vehicle exterior notification is a notification by a turn signal, a hazard lamp, a stop sign, or a flare. Vehicle control device.

[0092] The reason for the stopping of other vehicles that are using turn signals, hazard lights, stop signs, or flares to warn others outside the vehicle is likely to be unrelated to the presence or absence of traffic participants who are crossing or about to cross the crosswalk. According to (5), it is possible to prevent the driving speed of one's own vehicle from being restricted based on other vehicles that are stopped due to stopping factors that are unrelated to the presence or absence of traffic participants who are crossing or about to cross the crosswalk.

[0093] (6) A vehicle control device according to any one of (1) to (5), The vehicle control device includes: A fourth determination unit that determines whether or not a predetermined end condition for ending the suppression control is satisfied when the suppression control is being executed by the traveling control unit, The traveling control unit terminates the suppression control when the fourth determination unit determines that the termination condition is satisfied. Vehicle control device.

[0094] According to (6), since the suppression control is terminated when a predetermined termination condition is met, it is possible to prevent the suppression control from continuing indefinitely to suppress the vehicle's traveling speed, thereby preventing a decrease in user convenience.

[0095] (7) A vehicle control device according to (6), the fourth determination unit determines that the termination condition is satisfied when it is determined that no traffic participant is present within at least a predetermined range of the crosswalk based on the recognition result of the recognition unit; The predetermined range includes a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the intended driving lane and a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the adjacent lane. Vehicle control device.

[0096] According to (7), when it is confirmed that there is a low possibility that a traffic participant will jump out from the shadow of another vehicle into the lane in which the host vehicle is scheduled to travel, the suppression control can be terminated.

[0097] (8) A vehicle control device according to any one of (6) and (7), The fourth determination unit determines that the termination condition is satisfied when the vehicle has passed through the pedestrian crossing. Vehicle control device.

[0098] According to (8), it is possible to prevent a situation in which the vehicle's traveling speed is restricted for an extended period of time even after the vehicle has passed through a crosswalk, thereby preventing a decrease in user convenience.

[0099] (9) A control method executed by a computer that controls a vehicle, comprising: The computer, Recognizing the surrounding situation of the vehicle; Based on the result of the recognition of the surrounding conditions, it is determined whether or not there is a pedestrian crossing in a planned travel lane of the vehicle that is traveling or is about to start traveling; determining whether or not there is an adjacent lane that is adjacent to the planned driving lane and has the same traveling direction as the planned driving lane, based on the recognition result of the surrounding situation or map information prepared in advance; when it is determined that there is a pedestrian crossing and that there is an adjacent lane, based on the recognition result of the surrounding situation, whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane and has stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing as seen from the vehicle; When it is determined that the other vehicle is present, a suppression control is executed to suppress the traveling speed of the vehicle. A method of control that performs processing.

[0100] When there is another vehicle stopped in front of a pedestrian crossing, it is assumed that there is a traffic participant who is crossing or about to cross the pedestrian crossing. According to (9), when there is another vehicle stopped in front of a pedestrian crossing in an adjacent lane in the same traveling direction as the lane in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel, the traveling speed of the vehicle is suppressed. This makes it possible to realize a safety-conscious control in preparation for a traffic participant jumping out from the shadow of the other vehicle into the lane in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel. Therefore, it is possible to improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0101] (10) A control program for causing a computer that controls a vehicle to perform a predetermined process, The computer includes: Recognizing the surrounding situation of the vehicle; Based on the result of the recognition of the surrounding conditions, it is determined whether or not there is a pedestrian crossing in a planned travel lane of the vehicle that is traveling or is about to start traveling; determining whether or not there is an adjacent lane that is adjacent to the planned driving lane and has the same traveling direction as the planned driving lane, based on the recognition result of the surrounding situation or map information prepared in advance; when it is determined that there is a pedestrian crossing and that there is an adjacent lane, based on the recognition result of the surrounding situation, whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane and has stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing as seen from the vehicle; When it is determined that the other vehicle is present, a suppression control is executed to suppress the traveling speed of the vehicle. A control program that performs processing.

[0102] When there is another vehicle stopped in front of the crosswalk, it is assumed that there is a traffic participant who is crossing or about to cross the crosswalk. According to (10), when there is another vehicle stopped in front of the crosswalk in an adjacent lane in the same traveling direction as the lane in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel, the traveling speed of the vehicle is suppressed. This makes it possible to realize a safety-conscious control in preparation for a traffic participant jumping out from the shadow of the other vehicle into the lane in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel. Therefore, it is possible to improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0103] (11) A computer-readable storage medium storing the control program described in (10). [Explanation of symbols]

[0104] 100 Control device (vehicle control device) 110 Recognition part 120 1st Judgment Department 130 Second Judgment Section 140 Third Judgment Section 150 Driving control unit 160 4th Judgment Section CS intersection CW Crosswalk L Road (First Road) LT Road (other roads) L1 Planned driving lane L2 adjacent lane M1 Vehicle (vehicle) M2 and other vehicles

Claims

1. A vehicle control device that controls a vehicle, A recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the vehicle; a first determination unit that determines whether or not a pedestrian crossing is present in a planned travel lane of the vehicle that is traveling or is about to start traveling, based on a recognition result of the recognition unit; a second determination unit that determines whether or not there is an adjacent lane that is adjacent to the planned driving lane and has the same traveling direction as the planned driving lane, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit or map information prepared in advance; a third determination unit that, when the first determination unit determines that the crosswalk exists and the second determination unit determines that the adjacent lane exists, determines whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane and has stopped in front of the crosswalk as viewed from the vehicle, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit; and a travel control unit that executes suppression control to suppress a travel speed of the vehicle when the third determination unit determines that the other vehicle is present; Equipped with The vehicle control device includes: A fourth determination unit that determines whether or not a predetermined end condition for ending the suppression control is satisfied when the suppression control is being executed by the traveling control unit, The traveling control unit terminates the suppression control when the fourth determination unit determines that the termination condition is satisfied. The fourth determination unit determines that the termination condition is satisfied when it is determined that no traffic participant is present within at least a predetermined range of the crosswalk based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, The predetermined range includes a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the intended driving lane and a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the adjacent lane. Vehicle control device.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The crosswalk is a crosswalk provided at an intersection where one road intersects with another road, The planned driving lane and the adjacent lane are lanes included in the one road both before and after the intersection. Vehicle control device.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, the third determination unit, when the first determination unit determines that the pedestrian crossing exists and the second determination unit determines that the adjacent lane exists, determines, based on a recognition result from the recognition unit, whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane, that has stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing as viewed from the vehicle, and that is within a predetermined distance from the pedestrian crossing. Vehicle control device.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, the third determination unit, when the first determination unit determines that the crosswalk exists and the second determination unit determines that the adjacent lane exists, determines, based on a recognition result from the recognition unit, whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane, has stopped in front of the crosswalk as viewed from the vehicle, and has not issued a predetermined vehicle exterior warning. Vehicle control device.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 4, The vehicle exterior notification is a notification by a turn signal, a hazard lamp, a stop sign, or a flare. Vehicle control device.

6. A vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The fourth determination unit determines that the termination condition is satisfied when the vehicle has passed the pedestrian crossing. Vehicle control device.

7. A control method executed by a computer that controls a vehicle, comprising: The computer, Recognizing the surrounding situation of the vehicle; Based on the result of the recognition of the surrounding conditions, it is determined whether or not there is a pedestrian crossing in a planned travel lane of the vehicle that is traveling or is about to start traveling; determining whether or not there is an adjacent lane that is adjacent to the planned driving lane and has the same traveling direction as the planned driving lane, based on the recognition result of the surrounding situation or map information prepared in advance; when it is determined that there is a pedestrian crossing and that there is an adjacent lane, based on the recognition result of the surrounding situation, whether or not there is another vehicle that is located on the adjacent lane and has stopped in front of the pedestrian crossing as seen from the vehicle; When it is determined that the other vehicle is present, a suppression control is executed to suppress the traveling speed of the vehicle; determining whether or not a predetermined end condition for terminating the suppression control is satisfied while the suppression control is being executed; When it is determined that the termination condition is satisfied, the suppression control is terminated. Processing is performed, In the process of determining whether the end condition is satisfied, when it is determined based on the recognition result that no traffic participant is present within at least a predetermined range of the crosswalk, it is determined that the end condition is satisfied; The predetermined range includes a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the intended driving lane and a portion of the crosswalk that overlaps with the adjacent lane. Control methods.

Images