Information presentation method and information presentation device

Abstract

To reduce discomfort for an occupant about deceleration or acceleration of an own vehicle when the own vehicle is decelerated or accelerated by drive assistance control which controls at least the vehicle speed of the own vehicle.SOLUTION: An information presentation method includes the steps of: projecting and displaying a virtual object traveling ahead of an own vehicle on a wind shield of the own vehicle (S4); receiving vehicle speed information indicating whether or not the own vehicle is to be decelerated or accelerated from a drive assistance device which controls at least the vehicle speed of the own vehicle (S10); and if it is determined that the own vehicle is to be decelerated or accelerated on the basis of the vehicle speed information, displaying the virtual object so that the virtual object appears to an occupant to be moving closer to or moving away from the own vehicle (S13).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information presentation method and an information presentation device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, various vehicles that perform driving support control to assist the driving of the host vehicle have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an automatic driving system that automatically accelerates, steers, and brakes the host vehicle. In Patent Document 1, when the host vehicle during automatic driving deviates from the planned driving course and changes lanes, the video of the icon of the host vehicle is displayed on the display device to notify the passenger of the lane change of the host vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When the host vehicle decelerates or accelerates due to driving support control, the passenger may not notice the reason for the deceleration or acceleration. For this reason, there is a risk that the passenger may feel uncomfortable with the deceleration or acceleration of the host vehicle. An object of the present invention is to reduce the discomfort of the passenger with respect to the deceleration or acceleration of the host vehicle when the host vehicle is decelerated or accelerated by driving support control for at least controlling the vehicle speed of the host vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In the information presentation method of the embodiment, a virtual object traveling in front of the host vehicle is projected and displayed on the windshield of the host vehicle, and vehicle speed information indicating whether the host vehicle decelerates or accelerates is received from at least a driving support device that controls the vehicle speed of the host vehicle. When it is determined based on the vehicle speed information that the host vehicle decelerates or accelerates, the virtual object is displayed so that the virtual object appears to approach or depart from the host vehicle to the occupant.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, when the host vehicle decelerates or accelerates by driving support control that controls at least the vehicle speed of the host vehicle, the discomfort of the occupant with respect to the deceleration or acceleration of the host vehicle can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each drawing is schematic and may differ from reality. Further, the embodiments of the present invention shown below illustrate devices and methods for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the technical idea of the present invention does not specify the structure, arrangement, etc. of the components as follows. The technical idea of the present invention can be variously modified within the technical scope defined by the claims described in the claims.

[0009] (First Embodiment) (Configuration) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of a vehicle equipped with the information presentation device of the embodiment. The host vehicle 1 includes a driving support device 10 that supports the driving of the host vehicle 1 and an information presentation device 20 that presents various information to the passengers (for example, the driver) of the host vehicle 1. The driving support device 10 detects the driving environment around the host vehicle 1 and automatically controls the driving of the host vehicle 1 based on the detected driving environment.

[0010] The driving support of the host vehicle 1 by the driving support device 10 includes speed control for automatically controlling at least one of the acceleration and deceleration of the host vehicle 1 (that is, speed control for automatically controlling at least the vehicle speed). For example, the driving support by the driving support device 10 may include autonomous driving control for automatically driving the acceleration, deceleration, and steering angle of the host vehicle 1 without the involvement of the passenger. In the following description, an example in which the driving support by the driving support device 10 is autonomous driving control will be described. However, the present invention is not limited to being applied to autonomous driving control, and is widely applicable to driving support for automatically controlling the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1. For example, the driving support by the driving support device 10 may be follow-up control for driving the host vehicle so as to maintain a predetermined distance from the preceding vehicle or constant speed driving control.

[0011] The travel support device 10 includes a positioning device 11, a map database 12, an object sensor 13, a vehicle sensor 14, a travel support controller 15, and an actuator 16. In the drawings, the map database is denoted as "map DB". The positioning device 11 measures the current position of the host vehicle 1. The positioning device 11 may include, for example, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver. The GNSS receiver is, for example, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver or the like, and receives radio waves from a plurality of navigation satellites to measure the current position of the host vehicle 1. The positioning device 11 may be an inertial navigation device. The map database 12 stores road map data. For example, the map database 12 may store high-precision map data (hereinafter simply referred to as "high-precision map") suitable as map information for autonomous driving. Navigation map data (hereinafter simply referred to as "navigation map") may be stored in the map database 12. The high-precision map is map data with higher precision than the navigation map.

[0012] The object sensor 13 acquires various information (surrounding environment information) about the driving environment around the host vehicle 1. For example, the object sensor 13 detects objects around the host vehicle 1. The object sensor 13 detects the surrounding environment of the host vehicle 1, such as objects existing around the host vehicle 1, the relative position between the host vehicle 1 and the object, the distance between the host vehicle 1 and the object, and the direction in which the object exists. The object sensor 13 outputs the surrounding environment information, which is the detected surrounding environment information, to the travel support controller 15. For example, the object sensor 13 may include a camera, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), radar, millimeter-wave radar, laser rangefinder, sonar, etc.

[0013] The vehicle sensor 14 detects various information (vehicle information) obtained from the host vehicle 1. The vehicle sensor 14 includes, for example, a vehicle speed sensor that detects the traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the host vehicle 1, a wheel speed sensor that detects the rotational speed of each tire provided on the host vehicle 1, a three-axis acceleration sensor (G sensor) that detects the acceleration (including deceleration) in the three-axis directions of the host vehicle 1, a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of the steering wheel, a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of the steered wheels, a gyro sensor that detects the angular velocity generated in the host vehicle 1, a yaw rate sensor that detects the yaw rate, an accelerator sensor that detects the operation of the accelerator pedal of the host vehicle 1, and a brake sensor that detects the operation of the brake pedal by the driver. The vehicle sensor 14 outputs the vehicle information to the driving support controller 15.

[0014] The driving support controller 15 is an electronic control unit (ECU: Electronic Control Unit) that performs driving support control for the host vehicle 1. The driving support controller 15 includes a processor and peripheral components such as a storage device. The processor may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit). The storage device may include a semiconductor storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, etc. The storage device may include memories such as a register, a cache memory, a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) used as a main memory. The functions of the driving support controller 15 described below are realized, for example, when the processor executes a computer program stored in the storage device. Note that the travel assistance controller 15 may be formed of dedicated hardware for executing each of the information processes described below. For example, the travel assistance controller 15 may include a functional logic circuit set in a general-purpose semiconductor integrated circuit. For example, the travel assistance controller 15 may have a programmable logic device (PLD) such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0015] The travel assistance controller 15 acquires the state (speed, acceleration, deceleration, angular velocity, yaw rate, etc.) of the host vehicle 1 as the driving state of the host vehicle 1 based on the vehicle information from the vehicle sensor 14. In addition, the travel assistance controller 15 acquires the absolute position of the host vehicle 1, that is, the current position, attitude, and speed of the host vehicle 1 with respect to a predetermined reference point, as the driving state of the host vehicle 1 based on the measurement result by the positioning device 11 and the odometry using the detection result from the vehicle sensor 14. In addition, the travel assistance controller 15 recognizes the surrounding environment of the host vehicle 1 as the driving state of the host vehicle 1 based on the detection result of the object sensor 13. For example, based on the detection result of the object sensor 13, the position, attitude, size, speed, etc. of the objects around the host vehicle 1, such as vehicles (automobiles and motorcycles), pedestrians, obstacles, etc. are detected.

[0016] The travel assistance controller 15 executes autonomous driving control of the host vehicle 1 based on these driving states and the map information in the map database 12. For example, the travel assistance controller 15 calculates a target driving trajectory for driving the host vehicle 1 based on the current position and attitude of the host vehicle 1, the target route to the destination set by a navigation system or the like (not shown), and the surrounding environment of the host vehicle 1. For example, a route space map representing the presence or absence of routes and objects around the host vehicle 1 and a risk map in which the risk level of the driving area is quantified are generated, and a target driving trajectory for driving the host vehicle 1 is generated based on the motion characteristics of the host vehicle 1, the route space map, and the risk map.

[0017] The target travel trajectory may be information including, for example, a sequence of points on the target trajectory for driving the host vehicle 1 and target values of the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 at each of these points in the sequence. In the following description, the target value of the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 on the target travel trajectory (i.e., the vehicle speed plan) is referred to as the "target vehicle speed profile". The driving support controller 15 drives the actuator 16 so that the host vehicle 1 travels along the generated target travel trajectory.

[0018] The actuator 16 operates the steering wheel, accelerator opening, and brake device of the host vehicle 1 in response to a control signal from the driving support controller 15 to generate the vehicle behavior of the host vehicle 1. The actuator 16 includes a steering actuator, an accelerator opening actuator, and a brake control actuator. The steering actuator controls the steering direction and the amount of steering of the steering of the host vehicle 1. The accelerator opening actuator controls the accelerator opening of the host vehicle 1. The brake control actuator controls the braking operation of the brake device of the host vehicle 1.

[0019] Next, the information presentation device 20 will be described. The information presentation device 20 includes a display device 21 and a display controller 22. The display device 21 may be a so-called head-up display (HUD) including a transparent optical glass element arranged in front of the field of view of the occupant as a display surface. The display device 21 projects visual information such as characters and graphics presented by the information presentation device 20 to the driver onto the optical glass element to form a virtual image of the visual information. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the display device 21. For example, the display device 21 may use the front glass 30 as a display surface. By forming a virtual image of visual information such as characters and graphics on the front glass 30, the driver can visually recognize the information by the virtual image superimposed on the scenery in front of the vehicle outside, the road surface condition, the preceding vehicle, etc., which the driver visually recognizes through the front glass 30.

[0020] Refer to FIG. 1. The display controller 22 is an electronic control unit that controls visual information to be displayed on the display device 21. The display controller 22 includes a processor 23 and peripheral components such as a storage device 24. The processor 23 may be, for example, a CPU or an MPU. The storage device 24 may include a semiconductor storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, etc. The storage device may include memories such as registers, cache memories, ROM and RAM used as main memories. The functions of the display controller 22 described below are realized, for example, when the processor 23 executes a computer program stored in the storage device 24. Note that the display controller 22 may be formed of dedicated hardware for executing each information process described below. For example, the display controller 22 may include a functional logic circuit set in a general-purpose semiconductor integrated circuit. For example, the display controller 22 may have a PLD such as an FPGA.

[0021] As described above, when the host vehicle 1 decelerates or accelerates by the driving support device 10, there is a possibility that the occupant may feel discomfort with the deceleration or acceleration of the host vehicle 1. For example, when a curved road existing on the planned route of the host vehicle 1 is detected on the map, it is assumed that the host vehicle 1 is decelerated before the curved road. At this time, if the occupant is not aware of the existence of the curved road, there is a possibility that the occupant may feel discomfort with the deceleration of the host vehicle 1 without understanding why the host vehicle 1 has decelerated.

[0022] Therefore, the display controller 22 causes the occupant to perceive that the host vehicle 1 decelerates or accelerates by displaying a virtual object on the windshield 30. Refer to FIG. 2. The display controller 22 projects and displays an image of a virtual object 31 traveling in front of the host vehicle 1 on the windshield 30 so as to overlap with the travel lane in front of the host vehicle 1. For example, the virtual object 31 may be a virtual preceding vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "virtual preceding vehicle") as shown in FIG. 2.

[0023] The display controller 22 receives vehicle speed information indicating whether the host vehicle 1 is decelerating or accelerating from the driving assistance device 10. Scenes where the host vehicle 1 decelerates may be, for example, before a curve, before a toll gate, at a point where the speed limit becomes lower, before a traffic signal, a stop intersection, or an intersection, before a tunnel, an uphill gradient, or when there is a parked vehicle in the blind spot ahead. Scenes where the host vehicle 1 decelerates may be, for example, at the exit of a curve, at the exit of a toll gate, at a point where the speed limit becomes higher, after passing through a traffic signal, a stop intersection, or an intersection, at the exit of a tunnel, a downhill gradient, or after passing a parked vehicle.

[0024] When the display controller 22 determines that the host vehicle 1 will decelerate based on the vehicle speed information, it controls the display position and display size of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the virtual preceding vehicle 31 appears to approach the host vehicle 1 to the occupant. For example, the position of the virtual image of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 on the driving lane where it is superimposed may be brought closer to the host vehicle 1, and the display size of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 may be increased. Conversely, when it is determined that the host vehicle 1 will accelerate in the future, the display position and display size of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 are controlled so that the virtual preceding vehicle 31 appears to move away from the host vehicle 1. For example, the position of the virtual image of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 on the driving lane where it is superimposed may be moved away from the host vehicle 1, and the display size of the virtual image of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 may be decreased.

[0025] For the sake of brevity, controlling the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that it appears to approach the host vehicle 1 to the occupant will be simply expressed as the virtual preceding vehicle 31 approaching (or being made to approach) the host vehicle 1 in the following description. Similarly, controlling the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that it appears to move away from the host vehicle 1 to the occupant may be simply expressed as the virtual preceding vehicle 31 moving away (or being made to move away) from the host vehicle 1.

[0026] In this way, as the virtual preceding vehicle 31 approaches or departs from the host vehicle 1, the occupant can perceive that the host vehicle 1 will decelerate or accelerate in the future, respectively. Further, by displaying on the windshield 30 so that the virtual preceding vehicle 31 overlaps the scenery in front of the host vehicle 1, it is possible to remind the occupant of the same feeling as normal driving in which the host vehicle 1 decelerates or accelerates in response to the deceleration or acceleration of the preceding vehicle, so that the occupant can more naturally perceive the deceleration or acceleration of the host vehicle 1. Thereby, the behavior of the host vehicle 1 controlled by the driving support device 10 becomes easy to understand, and the acceptability of the occupant for the driving support control can be improved.

[0027] Hereinafter, the function of the display controller 22 will be described in more detail. It is a block diagram of an example of the functional configuration of the display controller 22 according to the embodiment. The display controller 22 includes a vehicle speed information acquisition unit 40, a timing setting unit 41, a state determination unit 42, a preceding vehicle determination unit 43, and an image generation unit 44. The vehicle speed information acquisition unit 40 receives vehicle speed information indicating whether the host vehicle 1 will decelerate or accelerate in the future from the driving support controller 15. For example, the vehicle speed information acquisition unit 40 may receive the target vehicle speed profile generated by the driving support controller 15 as the vehicle speed information.

[0028] When the host vehicle 1 will decelerate or accelerate in the future, the target vehicle speed profile includes information on the timing at which the host vehicle 1 starts to decelerate or accelerate and information on the vehicle speed when the deceleration or acceleration of the host vehicle 1 is completed. In the following description, the timing at which the host vehicle 1 starts to decelerate or accelerate may be denoted as "first timing T1", and the vehicle speed when the deceleration or acceleration of the host vehicle 1 is completed may be denoted as "target vehicle speed Vt".

[0029] The first timing T1 may be specified, for example, by the time (for example, how many seconds after the current time) at which the host vehicle 1 starts to decelerate or accelerate, or may be specified by the driving point of the host vehicle 1 at which the host vehicle 1 starts to decelerate or accelerate (for example, the driving distance from the current position). Furthermore, the target vehicle speed profile includes information on a target point Pt, which is the point where the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 reaches the target vehicle speed Vt and deceleration or acceleration is completed. The vehicle speed information acquisition unit 40 outputs the acquired vehicle speed information to the image generation unit 44, the timing setting unit 41, and the state determination unit 42.

[0030] Based on the vehicle speed information input from the vehicle speed information acquisition unit 40, the timing setting unit 41 sets the timing at which the virtual preceding vehicle 31 starts approaching the host vehicle 1 or the timing at which the virtual preceding vehicle 31 starts leaving the host vehicle 1. Specifically, in the future, when the host vehicle decelerates, the timing at which the virtual preceding vehicle 31 starts approaching the host vehicle 1 is set, and when the host vehicle accelerates, the timing at which the virtual preceding vehicle 31 starts leaving the host vehicle 1 is set. In the following description, the timing at which the virtual preceding vehicle 31 starts approaching the host vehicle 1 or the timing at which the virtual preceding vehicle 31 starts leaving the host vehicle 1 may be referred to as "second timing T2". The second timing T2 may be specified, for example, by the time (e.g., how many seconds after the current time) when the virtual preceding vehicle 31 starts approaching or leaving, or may be specified by the traveling position of the host vehicle 1 at the time when the virtual preceding vehicle 31 starts approaching or leaving (e.g., the traveling distance from the current position).

[0031] The timing setting unit 41 sets the timing before the first timing T1 as the second timing T2. For example, when the first timing T1 and the second timing T2 are specified by time, a time that is a predetermined time (e.g., 3 seconds to 5 seconds) earlier than the first timing T1 may be specified as the second timing T2. For example, when the first timing T1 and the second timing T2 are specified by location, a location closer to the current position of the host vehicle 1 by a predetermined distance (e.g., the distance traveled by the host vehicle 1 in 3 seconds to 5 seconds at the current traveling speed) than the first timing T1 may be specified as the second timing T2.

[0032] The state determination unit 42 determines whether the second timing T2 has arrived, whether the first timing T1 has arrived, and whether the host vehicle 1 has reached the target point Pt. In the following description, the state of the host vehicle 1 between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 is denoted as the "first state". Also, the state of the host vehicle 1 from the first timing T1 until the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt is denoted as the "second state". In other words, the state determination unit 42 determines whether it is the state before the arrival of the second timing T2 (the state before the first state), whether the host vehicle 1 is in the first state, or whether it is in the second state. The state determination unit 42 outputs the determination result to the image generation unit 44. The preceding vehicle determination unit 43 determines whether there is actually a preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle 1 based on the surrounding environment information acquired by the object sensor 13. The preceding vehicle determination unit 43 outputs the determination result to the image generation unit 44.

[0033] The image generation unit 44 generates an image of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and projects and displays a virtual image of the generated virtual preceding vehicle 31 on the windshield 30 by the display device 21. When generating the image of the virtual preceding vehicle 31, the image generation unit 44 simulates and sets the distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1. The distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 may be specified, for example, as a vehicle-to-vehicle distance or set as a time headway. The image generation unit 44 controls the display position and display size of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the distance between the host vehicle 1 and the virtual preceding vehicle 31 appears to be the set distance as seen by the occupant.

[0034] Also, the image generation unit 44 simulates and sets the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31. That is, it simulates and sets the relative speed between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1. The image generation unit 44 controls the display position and display size of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the virtual preceding vehicle 31 appears to be traveling at the set vehicle speed as seen by the occupant. For the sake of simplicity, the distance, relative speed between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1, and the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31, which are simulatedly set by the image generation unit 44, are simply denoted as "the distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1", "the relative speed between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1", and "the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31".

[0035] Based on the determination result of the preceding vehicle determination unit 43, when there is actually no preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle 1, the image generation unit 44 controls the display device 21 to display the virtual preceding vehicle 31. Conversely, when there is actually a preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle 1, the image generation unit 44 controls the display device 21 not to display the virtual preceding vehicle 31. This is to avoid obstructing the visual recognition of the actual preceding vehicle due to the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31.

[0036] For example, when there is actually no preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle 1, the image generation unit 44 may control the display device 21 to display the virtual preceding vehicle 31 regardless of whether the host vehicle 1 decelerates or accelerates. Alternatively, when the image generation unit 44 determines that the host vehicle 1 will decelerate or accelerate in the future and there is actually no preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle 1, the image generation unit 44 may control the display device 21 to display the virtual preceding vehicle 31. In this case, for example, the image generation unit 44 may control the display device 21 to start displaying the virtual preceding vehicle 31 at a predetermined timing before the arrival of the second timing T2. The image generation unit 44 may determine whether the host vehicle 1 will decelerate or accelerate in the future based on the vehicle speed information input from the vehicle speed information acquisition unit 40.

[0037] Based on the determination result of the state determination unit 42, the image generation unit 44 controls the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 such that the distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 and the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 change. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the display method of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 by the image generation unit 44. FIG. 5 is a time chart showing an example of the vehicle speeds of the host vehicle 1 and the virtual preceding vehicle 31 in an example of the display method shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows an example of decelerating the host vehicle 1. The host vehicle before deceleration is traveling at a vehicle speed V1. The driving support device 10 starts decelerating the host vehicle 1 at the first timing T1, and decelerates the host vehicle 1 so that the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 becomes the target vehicle speed Vt at the target point Pt in front of the curved road.

[0038] At time t1, the image generation unit 44 starts displaying the virtual preceding vehicle 31. The time t1 is the time when a predetermined timing set before the second timing T2 arrives. The timing for starting the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 may be specified by time (for example, how many seconds after the current time), or may be specified by the traveling point of the host vehicle 1 (for example, the traveling distance from the current position).

[0039] The distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 at the time of starting the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 (that is, the appearance time of the virtual preceding vehicle 31) may be a fixed set value, or may be arbitrarily set by the user of the host vehicle 1 (for example, the passenger, the driver). The vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 at the time of starting the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 may be set to the same speed as the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1, for example. Before the second timing T2 arrives, the image generation unit 44 maintains a constant distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 (that is, sets the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 to the current vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1).

[0040] When the second timing T2 arrives at time t2, the state of the host vehicle 1 becomes the first state. While the host vehicle 1 is in the first state, the image generation unit 44 approaches the virtual preceding vehicle 31 to the host vehicle 1 by decelerating the virtual preceding vehicle 31 (that is, gradually decreases the distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1). In the following description, the control in which the image generation unit 44 displays the virtual preceding vehicle 31 in the first state is referred to as "first display control". In the first display control, when the second timing T2 arrives, the image generation unit 44 starts to decelerate the virtual preceding vehicle 31. From the arrival of the second timing T2 until the arrival of the first timing T1 at time t3, the image generation unit 44 approaches the virtual preceding vehicle 31 to the host vehicle 1 by decelerating the virtual preceding vehicle 31.

[0041] When the first timing T1 arrives at time t4, the state of the host vehicle 1 becomes the second state. The driving support device 10 starts to decelerate the host vehicle 1 when the first timing T1 arrives. While the host vehicle 1 is in the second state, the driving support device 10 decelerates the host vehicle 1 so that the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 becomes the target vehicle speed Vt at the time t6 when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. For example, the driving support device 10 may decelerate the host vehicle 1 at a predetermined deceleration.

[0042] While the host vehicle 1 is in the second state (that is, from the first timing T1 until the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt), the image generation unit 44 sets the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 becomes the predetermined target distance It and the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 becomes the target vehicle speed Vt before the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. In the following description, the control in which the image generation unit 44 displays the virtual preceding vehicle 31 in the second state is referred to as "second display control". The predetermined target distance It may be a fixed set value or may be arbitrarily set by the user of the host vehicle 1.

[0043] In the second display control, the image generation unit 44 may calculate the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 during the second state based on the distance and relative speed between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 at the first timing T1, the length of the second state period, and the target distance It to be achieved when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. In the example shown in FIG. 5, a time t5 is set between the time t4 (first timing T1) when the deceleration of the host vehicle 1 starts and the time t6 when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. Between the time t4 and the time t5, the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is decelerated at a constant deceleration so that the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 becomes the target vehicle speed Vt at the time t5. After that, the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is maintained at the target vehicle speed Vt until the time t6 (until the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt).

[0044] In this case, the image generation unit 44 calculates the time t5 based on the distance and relative speed between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 at the first timing T1 and the length of the period of the second state so that the distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 becomes the target distance It when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5, when the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 during the periods of the first state and the second state is not always higher than that of the host vehicle 1, the inter-vehicle distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 at the end point of the second state (when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt) becomes shorter than the time point when the virtual preceding vehicle 31 appears (time t1). For this reason, depending on the target distance It, it may not be possible to achieve the target distance It when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt.

[0046] Therefore, the image generation unit 44 may make the deceleration of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 smaller than the deceleration of the host vehicle 1 or accelerate the virtual preceding vehicle 31 during the period of the second state. Thereby, a state where the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is higher than the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 may be generated, and the distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 may be increased. Thereby, the target distance It when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt and the distance at the time point when the virtual preceding vehicle 31 appears (that is, the time point when the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 starts) may be set to the same value.

[0047] In the above description, an example of decelerating the host vehicle 1 has been described. However, the image generation unit 44 may control the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 in the same manner as described above when the host vehicle 1 is accelerating. For example, assume a case where the acceleration of the host vehicle 1 traveling at the vehicle speed V1 starts at the first timing T1, and the host vehicle 1 is accelerated so that the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 becomes the target vehicle speed Vt at the target point Pt. The image generation unit 44 starts the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 at a predetermined timing before the second timing T2. Until the second timing T2 arrives, the image generation unit 44 maintains a constant interval between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1.

[0048] After the second timing T2 arrives and the host vehicle 1 enters the first state, the image generation unit 44 executes the first display control. In the first display control, the acceleration of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is started when the second timing T2 arrives. While the host vehicle 1 is in the first state, the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is accelerated to separate the virtual preceding vehicle 31 from the host vehicle 1 (that is, the interval between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 is gradually increased). When the first timing T1 arrives, the state of the host vehicle 1 becomes the second state. The driving support device 10 starts the acceleration of the host vehicle 1 when the first timing T1 arrives.

[0049] While the host vehicle 1 is in the second state, the driving support device 10 accelerates the host vehicle 1 so that the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 becomes the target vehicle speed Vt when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. For example, the driving support device 10 may accelerate the host vehicle 1 at a predetermined acceleration. While the host vehicle 1 is in the second state, the image generation unit 44 executes the second display control. In the second display control, the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is set so that the interval between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 becomes a predetermined target interval It and the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 becomes the target vehicle speed Vt before the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt.

[0050] (Operation) FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an example of the information presentation method according to the embodiment. In step S1, the display controller 22 of the information presentation device 20 determines whether there is actually a preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle 1. If there is no preceding vehicle (step S1: Y), the process proceeds to step S2. If there is a preceding vehicle (step S1: N), the process proceeds to step S7. In step S7, the display controller 22 stops the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31. Thereafter, the process ends.

[0051] In step S2, the driving support controller 15 of the driving support device 10 acquires information on the driving state of the host vehicle 1. In step S3, the driving support controller 15 generates a target driving trajectory for driving the host vehicle 1 based on the driving state of the host vehicle 1. The driving support controller 15 outputs a target vehicle speed profile included in the target driving trajectory to the display controller 22.

[0052] In step S4, the display device 21 projects and displays the virtual preceding vehicle 31 on the windshield 30. In step S5, the display controller 22 determines whether the host vehicle 1 will decelerate or accelerate in the future based on the target vehicle speed profile. If the host vehicle 1 decelerates or accelerates (step S5: Y), the process proceeds to step S6. If the host vehicle 1 neither decelerates nor accelerates (step S5: N), the process returns to step S1. In step S6, the display controller 22 executes virtual preceding vehicle acceleration / deceleration control. Details of the virtual preceding vehicle acceleration / deceleration control will be described later. After the virtual preceding vehicle acceleration / deceleration control, the process returns to step S1.

[0053] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an example of the virtual preceding vehicle acceleration / deceleration control according to the first embodiment. In step S10, the vehicle speed information acquisition unit 40 of the information presentation device 20 acquires the target vehicle speed profile generated by the driving support controller 15 as vehicle speed information. The target vehicle speed profile includes information on the first timing T1, information on the target point Pt, and information on the target vehicle speed Vt. In step S11, the timing setting unit 41 sets the timing before the first timing T1 as the second timing T2.

[0054] In step S12, the state determination unit 42 determines whether the second timing T2 has arrived. If the second timing T2 has not arrived yet (step S12: N), the process returns to step S12. If the second timing T2 has arrived (step S12: Y), the process proceeds to step S13. In step S13, the image generation unit 44 executes the first display control.

[0055] In step S14, the state determination unit 42 determines whether the first timing T1 has arrived. If the first timing T1 has not arrived yet (step S14: N), the process returns to step S13. If the first timing T1 has arrived (step S14: Y), the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, the image generation unit 44 executes the second display control. In step S16, the state determination unit 42 determines whether the host vehicle 1 has reached the target point Pt. If the host vehicle 1 has not reached the target point Pt yet (step S16: N), the process returns to step S15. If the host vehicle 1 has reached the target point Pt (step S16: Y), the virtual preceding vehicle acceleration / deceleration control process ends.

[0056] (Second Embodiment) Next, the information presentation device 20 of the second embodiment will be described. The information presentation device 20 of the second embodiment dynamically changes the second timing T2. That is, the interval between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 is dynamically changed. For example, the timing setting unit 41 of the second embodiment sets the interval between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 according to the automatic driving level implemented by the driving support device 10.

[0057] The automatic driving level implemented by the traveling support device 10 may be, for example, the automatic driving level defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The traveling support controller 15 of the traveling support device 10 may change the automatic driving level implemented by the traveling support device 10 according to, for example, the surrounding environment and traveling situation of the host vehicle 1, the soundness of various sensors, and the like.

[0058] For example, the timing setting unit 41 of the information presentation device 20 may set a longer interval between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 when the automatic driving level is high (the degree of automation is high) compared to when the automatic driving level is low (the degree of automation is low). For example, the timing setting unit 41 may set a longer interval between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 as the automatic driving level is higher. The lower the automatic driving level, the more the occupant (e.g., the driver) pays attention to the front of the host vehicle 1, so it is easier to notice a change in the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31. Therefore, even if the interval between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 is short, it is possible to notice that the host vehicle 1 will decelerate or accelerate in the future based on the change in the distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1.

[0059] Note that when the interval between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 becomes longer when the automatic driving level is relatively high, the time for the virtual preceding vehicle 31 to approach the host vehicle 1 becomes longer when the host vehicle 1 decelerates. If the virtual preceding vehicle 31 approaches the host vehicle 1 excessively, the occupant may feel uncomfortable. Therefore, during the period between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 (i.e., during the first state), the image generation unit 44 may display the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that it appears that the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is approaching the host vehicle 1 while keeping the time to collision (TTC) between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 constant. For example, as the distance between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 becomes shorter, by reducing the relative speed of the host vehicle with respect to the virtual preceding vehicle 31, the virtual preceding vehicle 31 can be approached to the host vehicle 1 while keeping the collision margin time constant. At this time, the image generation unit 44 may maintain the collision margin time at a predetermined value or less and constant. Since the occupant feels the degree of approach to the preceding vehicle based on the collision margin time, by keeping the collision margin time at a predetermined value or less, it is possible to make it easier for the occupant to notice that the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is approaching the host vehicle 1. Thereby, it is possible to make it easier for the occupant to notice that the host vehicle 1 will decelerate in the future.

[0060] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an example of virtual preceding vehicle acceleration / deceleration control according to the second embodiment. The process of step S20 is the same as the process of step S10 in FIG. 7. In step S21, the information presentation device 20 acquires information on the automatic driving level from the driving support controller 15 of the driving support device 10. In step S22, the timing setting unit 41 of the information presentation device 20 sets the second timing T2. At this time, the timing setting unit 41 sets the interval between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 according to the automatic driving level. The processes of steps S23 to S27 are the same as the processes of steps S12 to S16 in FIG. 7.

[0061] (Third Embodiment) Next, the information presentation device 20 according to the third embodiment will be described. The information presentation device 20 according to the third embodiment controls the speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that it is easier for the occupant to notice that the host vehicle 1 has reached the target point Pt and the host vehicle 1 has entered a stable driving state (that is, the deceleration or acceleration of the host vehicle 1 has been completed). Specifically, immediately before the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt, the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1, which has been equal to or greater than the target interval It until then, is temporarily made less than the target interval It, and then the target interval It is set until the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. In this way, by changing the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 so that it temporarily becomes less than the target interval It and then becomes the target interval It, the occupant can easily notice that the vehicle speed adjustment of the host vehicle 1 has been completed.

[0062] For example, the timing setting unit 41 of the third embodiment sets the third timing T3 between the first timing T1 and the time when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. The third timing T3 is the timing at which the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1, which was equal to or greater than the target interval It, becomes less than the target interval It. For example, the timing setting unit 41 may set the time or location immediately before the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt as the third timing T3. For example, the time a predetermined time before the time when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt may be set as the third timing T3. Alternatively, the location a predetermined distance before the target point Pt may be set as the third timing T3.

[0063] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the third timing T3. The example in FIG. 9 shows the case where the host vehicle 1 accelerates at the exit of the curved road. As described above, when the host vehicle 1 accelerates, the virtual preceding vehicle 31 detaches from the host vehicle 1 between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1 (i.e., the first state). Therefore, at the time when the first timing T1 arrives, the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 is longer than the target interval It. Therefore, when the image generation unit 44 enters the second state at the first timing T1 (i.e., starts the second display control), it controls the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the difference between the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 and the target interval It becomes smaller. Then, it controls the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1, which was equal to or greater than the target interval It, becomes less than the target interval It at the third timing T3.

[0064] In the following description, the state of the host vehicle 1 from the first timing T1 when the second state starts to the third timing T3 is referred to as the "third state". Also, the state of the host vehicle 1 from the third timing T3 until the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt is referred to as the "fourth state". As shown in FIG. 9, the third state and the fourth state are part of the second state. In the fourth state, the image generation unit 44 increases the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 to increase the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1, so that the difference between the relative speed, the inter-vehicle time, and the target interval It between the host vehicle 1 and the virtual preceding vehicle 31 becomes zero before the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt.

[0065] In the above description, an example of accelerating the host vehicle 1 has been described. However, even when the host vehicle 1 is decelerated, the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1, which was equal to or greater than the target interval It, may be made less than the target interval It at the third timing T3. When the host vehicle 1 is decelerated, the virtual preceding vehicle 31 approaches the host vehicle 1 between the second timing T2 and the first timing T1. For this reason, when the first timing T1 arrives, the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 is shorter than the target interval It.

[0066] Therefore, when the image generation unit 44 enters the third state at the first timing T1, it may control the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 becomes longer than the target interval It before the third timing T3 arrives. Thereafter, the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1, which has become longer than the target interval It, is made less than the target interval It at the third timing T3. In the fourth state, the difference in relative speed between the decelerating host vehicle 1 and the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is decreased, so that the difference between the relative speed, the inter-vehicle time, and the target interval It between the host vehicle 1 and the virtual preceding vehicle 31 becomes zero before the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt.

[0067] In the future, according to whether the host vehicle accelerates or decelerates, it may be switched whether to temporarily make the distance less than the target distance It before the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. In other words, according to whether the host vehicle accelerates or decelerates, the state of the host vehicle 1 from the second timing T2 until the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt may be switched between being divided into three states: the first state, the third state, and the fourth state, or being divided into two states: the first state and the second state.

[0068] For example, when the host vehicle accelerates, the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 may be controlled so that the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31, which was equal to or greater than the target distance It, and the host vehicle 1 becomes less than the target distance It at the third timing T3. On the other hand, when the host vehicle decelerates, after the first timing, before the third timing T3 arrives, without making the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31 and the host vehicle 1 longer than the target distance It, the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 may be controlled so that the difference between the relative speed, the inter-vehicle time, and the target distance It between the host vehicle 1 and the virtual preceding vehicle 31 becomes zero before the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt.

[0069] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an example of virtual preceding vehicle acceleration / deceleration control according to the third embodiment. The processes of steps S30 and S31 are the same as the processes of steps S10 and S11 in FIG. 7. In step S32, the timing setting unit 41 sets the third timing T3 between the first timing T1 until the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. The processes of steps S33 to S35 are the same as the processes of steps S12 to S14 in FIG. 7. In step S36, the image generation unit 44 executes second display control. At this time, the image generation unit 44 controls the vehicle speed of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the inter-vehicle time between the virtual preceding vehicle 31, which was equal to or greater than the target distance It before the third timing T3, and the host vehicle 1 becomes less than the target distance It at the third timing T3. Thereafter, the difference between the relative speed, the inter-vehicle time, and the target distance It between the host vehicle 1 and the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is made zero until the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point Pt. In step S37, the state determination unit 42 determines whether the host vehicle 1 has reached the target point Pt. If the host vehicle 1 has not yet reached the target point Pt (step S37: N), the process returns to step S36. If the host vehicle 1 has reached the target point Pt (step S37: Y), the virtual preceding vehicle acceleration / deceleration control process ends.

[0070] (Fourth Embodiment) Next, the information presentation device 20 of the fourth embodiment will be described. The information presentation device 20 of the fourth embodiment controls the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the brake lamp and turn signal indicator of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 appear to be lit. For example, the image generation unit 44 of the information presentation device 20 of the second embodiment may turn on the brake lamp of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 when the virtual preceding vehicle 31 decelerates in the first state from the second timing T2 to the first timing T1.

[0071] Regardless of the behavior of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 (such as lateral path change or deceleration), the image generation unit 44 may turn on the brake lamp and turn signal indicator of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 according to the vehicle behavior of the host vehicle 1. For example, the turn signal indicator of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 may be turned on according to the planned right or left turn of the host vehicle 1 at an intersection, and the brake lamp of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 may be turned on according to the deceleration of the host vehicle 1 even if the virtual preceding vehicle 31 is not decelerating.

[0072] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of an example of the virtual preceding vehicle acceleration / deceleration control of the fourth embodiment. The processes of steps S40 to S43 are the same as the processes of steps S10 to S13 in FIG. 7. In step S44, the image generation unit 44 controls the display of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 so that the brake lamp and turn signal indicator of the virtual preceding vehicle 31 appear to be lit when the virtual preceding vehicle 31 decelerates in the first state. The processes of steps S45 to S47 are the same as those of steps S14 to S16 in FIG. 7.

[0073] (Effects of the Embodiment) (1) The display device 21 projects and displays a virtual object traveling in front of the host vehicle 1 on the windshield 30 of the host vehicle 1. The display controller 22 receives vehicle speed information indicating whether the host vehicle 1 decelerates or accelerates from the driving support device 10 that controls at least the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1. When it is determined based on the vehicle speed information that the host vehicle 1 decelerates or accelerates, the display controller 22 controls the display of the virtual object by the display device 21 so that the virtual objects appear to approach or depart from the host vehicle 1 to the occupant, respectively. Thereby, the occupant can be made to perceive the future deceleration or acceleration of the host vehicle 1.

[0074] (2) The display controller 22 may receive, as the vehicle speed information, information on a first timing at which the host vehicle 1 starts to decelerate or accelerate and a target point that is a point at which the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 1 reaches the target vehicle speed and the deceleration or acceleration is completed. The display controller 22 sets a second timing before the first timing. When it is determined that the host vehicle 1 decelerates or accelerates, the display controller 22 controls the display of the virtual object so that the virtual objects appear to approach or depart from the host vehicle 1 between the second timing and the first timing. Between the first timing and when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point, the display controller 22 may control the display of the virtual object so that it appears that the interval between the virtual object and the host vehicle 1 becomes a predetermined target interval and the speed of the virtual object becomes the target vehicle speed by the time the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point. Thereby, between the second timing and the first timing, the occupant can be made to predict the future acceleration or deceleration of the host vehicle by the display of the virtual object. Also, between the first timing and when the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point, the occupant can be made to perceive by the display of the virtual object that the host vehicle 1 is adjusting its vehicle speed.

[0075] (3) At least one of the interval between the virtual object and the host vehicle 1 at the time of starting the display of the virtual object on the windshield 30 or the predetermined target interval may be settable by the user. Thereby, the virtual object can be displayed according to the preference of the occupant. (4) The interval from the second timing to the first timing may be set according to the level of autonomous driving implemented by the driving support device 10. The time until the occupant perceives the behavior change of the virtual object in front of the host vehicle 1 varies depending on the level of autonomous driving. Therefore, by changing the presentation time when the virtual object approaches or departs from the host vehicle 1, the occupant can be made more aware of the behavior change of the virtual object. (5) The virtual object may be a virtual vehicle. This can provide information with less discomfort compared to normal driving.

[0076] (6) When the display controller 22 determines that the host vehicle 1 is decelerating, during the period from the second timing to the first timing, the display of the virtual vehicle may be controlled so that it appears that the virtual vehicle is approaching the host vehicle 1 while the collision margin time between the virtual vehicle and the host vehicle 1 remains constant. This can ensure that the occupant of the host vehicle 1 can notice the degree of approach to the deceleration of the preceding vehicle and the time to notice the deceleration of the preceding vehicle. (7) When the display controller 22 determines that the host vehicle 1 is decelerating, during the period from the first timing until the host vehicle 1 reaches the target point, the display of the virtual vehicle may be controlled so that it appears that the inter-vehicle time between the virtual vehicle and the host vehicle 1 temporarily becomes shorter from a state longer than the target inter-vehicle time which is the target interval. This can make it easier for the occupant to notice that the host vehicle 1 has reached the target point Pt and entered a stable driving state (that is, deceleration or acceleration has been completed).

[0077] (8) When the display controller 22 determines that the host vehicle 1 is decelerating, during the period from the second timing to the first timing, the display of the virtual vehicle may be controlled so that the brake lamp appears to be lit. This can make it easier for the occupant to notice that the host vehicle 1 is decelerating. (9) The display controller 22 may control the display of the virtual vehicle so that the brake lamp or the turn indicator appears to be lit according to the vehicle behavior of the host vehicle 1 controlled by the driving support device. This makes it easier for the driver to notice the behavior of the host vehicle 1. (10) The display controller 22 may control the display of the virtual vehicle such that it determines whether there is actually a preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle 1, displays a virtual object when there is no preceding vehicle, and does not display a virtual object when there is a preceding vehicle. This can avoid the display of the virtual vehicle from obstructing the visibility of the actual preceding vehicle.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0078] 1... host vehicle, 10... driving support device, 11... positioning device, 12... map database, 13... object sensor, 14... vehicle sensor, 15... driving support controller, 16... actuator, 20... information presentation device, 21... display device, 22... display controller, 23... processor, 24... storage device, 30... windshield, 31... virtual preceding vehicle, 40... vehicle speed information acquisition unit, 41... timing setting unit, 42... state determination unit, 43... preceding vehicle determination unit, 44... image generation unit

Claims

1. Project and display a virtual object traveling in front of the host vehicle on the front glass of the host vehicle, Receive vehicle speed information indicating whether the host vehicle decelerates or accelerates from a driving support device that controls at least the vehicle speed of the host vehicle, When it is determined based on the vehicle speed information that the host vehicle decelerates or accelerates, display the virtual object so that the virtual object appears to approach or depart from the host vehicle to the occupant, An information presentation method characterized by the above.

2. As the vehicle speed information, receive information on a first timing at which the host vehicle starts to decelerate or accelerate and a target point which is a point where the vehicle speed of the host vehicle reaches a target vehicle speed and deceleration or acceleration is completed, Set a second timing before the first timing, When it is determined that the host vehicle decelerates or accelerates, display the virtual object so that the virtual object appears to approach or depart from the host vehicle from the second timing to the first timing, From the first timing until the host vehicle reaches the target point, display the virtual object so that the distance between the virtual object and the host vehicle becomes a predetermined target distance and the speed of the virtual object becomes the target vehicle speed before the host vehicle reaches the target point, The information presentation method according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The information presentation method according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one of the distance between the virtual object and the host vehicle at the time of starting to display the virtual object on the front glass and the predetermined target distance can be set by the user.

4. The information presentation method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the interval from the second timing to the first timing is set according to the level of autonomous driving implemented by the driving support device.

5. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the virtual object is a virtual vehicle.

6. When it is determined that the host vehicle decelerates, display the virtual vehicle so that the virtual vehicle appears to approach the host vehicle while the collision margin time between the virtual vehicle and the host vehicle remains constant from the second timing to the first timing, The information presentation method according to claim 5, characterized by the above.

7. The virtual vehicle is displayed such that during the period from the first timing until the host vehicle reaches the target point, the inter-vehicle time between the virtual vehicle and the host vehicle temporarily appears to become shorter from a state where the inter-vehicle time is longer than a target inter-vehicle time that is the target interval. The information presentation method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by this.

8. When it is determined that the host vehicle decelerates, the virtual vehicle with its brake lamp lit is displayed during the period from the second timing to the first timing. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized by this.

9. The virtual vehicle with its brake lamp or turn indicator lit is displayed according to the vehicle behavior of the host vehicle controlled by the driving support device. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized by this.

10. It is determined whether there is actually a preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle. When there is no preceding vehicle, the virtual object is displayed, and when there is a preceding vehicle, the virtual object is not displayed. The information presentation method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by this.

11. A display device that projects and displays a virtual object traveling in front of the host vehicle on the windshield of the host vehicle, A controller that receives vehicle speed information indicating whether the host vehicle decelerates or accelerates from a driving support device that controls at least the vehicle speed of the host vehicle, and controls the display of the virtual object by the display device so that the virtual object appears to approach or depart from the host vehicle to the occupant when it is determined that the host vehicle decelerates or accelerates based on the vehicle speed information. An information presentation device, characterized by comprising this.

Images