Driving support device

Abstract

To provide a driving support device which prevents a driver from traveling in an opposite direction so as to return to a target travel route when the target travel route to a destination set by the driver is mistakenly traveled.SOLUTION: In a driving support device 1, when a driver is driving an own vehicle M along a target travel route R, a travel control unit 22 performs control to return the own vehicle M to the target travel route R in the case that the own vehicle can be returned to the target travel route R if an operation to return to the target travel route R by the driver is detected when the own vehicle enters a branch road 102 different from the target travel route R, and resets a new travel route R1 to a destination via the branch road in the case that the own vehicle cannot be returned to the target travel route.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device for preventing reverse driving.

Background Art

[0002] The act of a vehicle driving in reverse against the vehicle traveling direction defined on the road is very dangerous, and it has become an issue to prevent the vehicle from driving in reverse. Also, there has been a problem that a driver drives the vehicle in reverse with respect to the vehicle traveling direction.

[0003] In recent years, various proposals have been made regarding technologies for detecting and preventing reverse driving of vehicles. For example, Patent Document 1 describes that when the distance to the exit of the road on which the own vehicle is reverse driving is within a predetermined value, a target trajectory for continuing reverse driving and traveling to the road at the exit destination is generated.

[0004] Also, it is described that the reverse driving cancellation operation control unit recognizes the distance from the position of the own vehicle to the exit of the road link, and when the recognized distance is within a predetermined value, continues the reverse driving state and generates a target trajectory for moving to the road link to quickly cancel the reverse driving state of the own vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] By the way, when the driver notices that they have accidentally driven on a route different from the target driving route set for the destination and tries to return to the target driving route and reverses the own vehicle, there has been a problem that the conventional reverse driving cancellation operation control unit cannot handle it.

[0007] Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a driving support device that prevents a driver from trying to reverse and return to a target driving route when the driver drives along a wrong target driving route toward a set destination.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] A driving support device according to an aspect of the present invention includes an external recognition device that acquires driving environment information around a host vehicle, a locator unit that stores road map information and detects the position of the host vehicle based on a positioning signal, and a front and rear driving control unit that controls the vehicle based on the driving environment information. When the host vehicle is being driven by the driver along a target driving route, when the host vehicle enters a branch road different from the target driving route, and when the driving control unit detects a return operation to the target driving route by the driver, it determines whether it is possible to return to the target driving route , depending on whether a following vehicle is traveling within at least a predetermined distance behind and, if there is no following vehicle when it is possible to return, executes control to return the host vehicle to the target driving route, if the following vehicle is traveling and when it is impossible to return, re-sets a new driving route to a destination via the branch road.

Effects of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a driving support device that prevents a driver from trying to reverse and return to a target driving route when the driver drives along a wrong target driving route toward a set destination.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of one aspect of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings used in the following description, in order to make each component recognizable on the drawing, the scale is different for each component, and the present invention is not limited only to the quantity of the components described in these drawings, the shape of the components, the ratio of the sizes of the components, and the relative positional relationship of each component.

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the travel control device 10 as a vehicle driving support device in the present embodiment has a travel environment recognition unit 11 and a locator unit 12 as units for recognizing the travel environment outside the vehicle.

[0013] Further, the travel control device 10 includes a travel control unit (hereinafter referred to as "travel_ECU") 22, an engine control unit (hereinafter referred to as "E / G_ECU") 23, a power steering control unit (hereinafter referred to as "PS_ECU") 24 which is a steering (steering) control unit, and a brake control unit (hereinafter referred to as "BK_ECU") 25. These control units 22 to 25 are connected via an in-vehicle communication line such as CAN (Controller Area Network) together with the travel environment recognition unit 11 and the locator unit 12.

[0014] The driving environment recognition unit 11, which is an external recognition device, is fixed, for example, at the upper center of the front part inside the vehicle cabin. This driving environment recognition unit 11 includes an in-vehicle camera (stereo camera) consisting of a main camera 11a and a sub-camera 11b, an image processing unit (IPU) 11c, and a driving environment recognition unit 11d.

[0015] The main camera 11a and the sub-camera 11b are, for example, autonomous sensors that sense the real space in front of the host vehicle M. These main camera 11a and sub-camera 11b are arranged, for example, at symmetrical positions on the left and right in the vehicle cabin in front of the upper part of the windshield with the center in the vehicle width direction in between, as shown in FIG. 2, and stereoscopically image the front area of the host vehicle M from different viewpoints.

[0016] The IPU 11c performs predetermined image processing on the front driving environment image information in front of the host vehicle M imaged by both cameras 11a and 11b, and generates front driving environment image information (distance image information) including distance information obtained from the displacement amount of the corresponding target position. The driving environment recognition unit 11d obtains lane dividing lines that divide the road around the host vehicle M based on the distance image information and the like received from the IPU 11c.

[0017] In addition, the driving environment recognition unit 11d obtains the road curvature [1 / m] of the lane dividing lines that divide the left and right of the road on which the host vehicle M travels (the host vehicle driving lane), and the width between the left and right lane dividing lines (lane width). Although various methods for obtaining this road curvature and lane width are known, for example, the driving environment recognition unit 11d recognizes the left and right lane dividing lines by binarization processing based on the luminance difference in the front driving environment image information for the road curvature, and obtains the curvature of the left and right lane dividing lines for each predetermined section using a curve approximation formula by the least squares method or the like.

[0018] In addition, the driving environment recognition unit 11d performs predetermined pattern matching or the like on the distance image information to recognize guardrails, curbstones existing along the road, and three-dimensional objects such as pedestrians, two-wheeled vehicles, and vehicles other than two-wheeled vehicles existing on the road around the host vehicle M, and obstacles.

[0019] Here, in the recognition of three-dimensional objects, obstacles, etc. by the driving environment recognition unit 11d, for example, recognition of the type of three-dimensional object, the distance to the three-dimensional object, the speed of the three-dimensional object, the relative speed between the three-dimensional object and the host vehicle M, etc. is performed. Note that the three-dimensional object recognized based on the image from the in-vehicle camera in this way is referred to as a camera object (camera OBJ).

[0020] Furthermore, a plurality of radar devices (for example, a left front side radar device 11fl, a right front side radar device 11fr, a left rear side radar device 11rl, and a right rear side radar device 11rr) are connected to the driving environment recognition unit 11d as autonomous sensors.

[0021] These plurality of radar devices (left front side radar device 11fl, right front side radar device 11fr, left rear side radar device 11rl, and right rear side radar device 11rr) are arranged on the bumper or the like, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, outside the vehicle body, sandwiching the center in the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction, and at symmetric positions in the front, rear, left, and right.

[0022] The left front side radar device 11fl and the right front side radar device 11fr monitor two regions on the left and right diagonally forward and sideward of the host vehicle M that cannot be monitored by the images from the above-described cameras 11a and 11b. The left rear side radar device 11rl and the right rear side radar device 11rr monitor two regions from the left and right sides to the rear of the host vehicle M that cannot be monitored by the above-described left front side radar device 11fl and right front side radar device 11fr.

[0023] Each of these radar devices 11fl, 11fr, 11rl, 11rr is configured to include a millimeter-wave radar, a laser radar, a lidar (LIDER: Light Detection and Ranging), etc. Each of the radar devices 11fl, 11fr, 11rl, 11rr detects a plurality of reflection points on a three-dimensional object existing around the host vehicle M by receiving the reflected wave of the radar wave (radio wave, laser beam, etc.) emitted in the horizontal direction, and recognizes the three-dimensional object.

[0024] In this way, the information regarding the radar OBJ recognized by each of the radar devices 11fl, 11fr, 11rl, and 11rr is input to the driving environment recognition unit 11d. As a result, the driving environment recognition unit 11d can recognize not only the preceding vehicle existing in front of the host vehicle M, but also the parallel running vehicle existing on the side of the host vehicle M, the intersecting vehicle approaching the host vehicle M from the direction intersecting the host vehicle's traveling path at an intersection, and the following vehicle existing behind the host vehicle M.

[0025] Note that the left rear side radar device 11rl and the right rear side radar device 11rr may not be provided, and a rearview camera may be used to recognize the parallel running vehicle and the following vehicle behind.

[0026] The locator unit 12 estimates the position of the host vehicle on the road map and has a locator arithmetic unit 13 for estimating the position of the host vehicle. Sensors necessary for estimating the position (host vehicle position) of the host vehicle M, such as an acceleration sensor 14 for detecting the longitudinal acceleration of the host vehicle M, a wheel speed sensor 15 for detecting the rotational speeds of the front, rear, left, and right wheels, a gyro sensor 16 for detecting the angular velocity or angular acceleration of the host vehicle M, a GNSS receiver 17 for receiving positioning signals transmitted from a plurality of positioning satellites, and a steering angle sensor 18 (not shown) for detecting the rotational angle of the steering, are connected to the input side of this locator arithmetic unit 13.

[0027] A high-precision road map database 19 is connected to the locator arithmetic unit 13. The high-precision road map database 19 is a large-capacity storage medium such as an HDD and stores high-precision road map information (dynamic map).

[0028] That is, the high-precision road map information has four layers of information mainly composed of static information and quasi-static information constituting road information, and quasi-dynamic information and dynamic information mainly constituting traffic information.

[0029] The locator operation unit 13 includes a map information acquisition unit 13a and a host vehicle position estimation unit 13b. The map information acquisition unit 13a acquires route map information from the current location to the destination based on, for example, the destination set by the driver during autonomous driving, from the map information stored in the high-precision road map database 19.

[0030] Also, the map information acquisition unit 13a transmits the acquired route map information (lane data on the route map) to the host vehicle position estimation unit 13b. The host vehicle position estimation unit 13b acquires the position coordinates of the host vehicle M based on the positioning signal received by the GNSS receiver 17.

[0031] Furthermore, the host vehicle position estimation unit 13b maps the acquired position coordinates onto the route map information to estimate the position of the host vehicle on the road map and recognizes the left and right lane dividing lines that demarcate the host vehicle's travel path (travel lane), and acquires the road curvature at the center of the travel lane stored in the road map data.

[0032] Also, in an environment where it is not possible to receive a valid positioning signal from the positioning satellite due to a decrease in the sensitivity of the GNSS receiver 17, such as when driving in a tunnel, the host vehicle position estimation unit 13b switches to an autonomous navigation method for estimating the position of the host vehicle based on the vehicle speed obtained based on the wheel speed detected by the wheel speed sensor 15, the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor 16, and the longitudinal acceleration detected by the longitudinal and lateral acceleration sensor 14, and estimates the position of the host vehicle on the road map.

[0033] Furthermore, when the host vehicle position estimation unit 13b estimates the position of the host vehicle on the road map based on the positioning signal received by the GNSS receiver 17 or the information detected by the gyro sensor 16 as described above, etc., based on the estimated position of the host vehicle on the road map, it determines the road type of the travel path on which the host vehicle M is traveling.

[0034] On the input side of the driving ECU 22, various switches and sensors are connected, such as a mode switch for the driver to turn on / off the automatic driving (driving control), a steering torque sensor for detecting the steering torque as the driver's driving operation amount, a brake sensor for detecting the depression amount of the brake pedal as the driver's driving operation amount, an accelerator sensor for detecting the depression amount of the accelerator pedal as the driver's driving operation amount, and a yaw rate sensor for detecting the yaw rate acting on the host vehicle M (none of them are shown in the figure).

[0035] In the driving ECU 22, the following driving modes are set: a manual driving mode, a first driving control mode and a second driving control mode which are modes for driving control, and an evacuation mode. These driving modes can be selectively switched in the driving ECU 22 based on the operation status of the mode switch and the like.

[0036] Here, the manual driving mode is a driving mode that requires the driver to hold the steering wheel. For example, it is a driving mode in which the host vehicle M is driven according to the driver's driving operations such as steering operation, accelerator operation, and brake operation.

[0037] Similarly, the first driving control mode is also a driving mode that requires the driver to hold the steering wheel. That is, while reflecting the driver's driving operation, the first driving control mode mainly performs, through controls such as the E / G ECU 23, PS ECU 24, and BK ECU 25, for example, a combination of following control of the preceding vehicle (ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control), lane center maintenance (ALKC: Active Lane Keep Centering) control, and lane departure suppression (Active Lane Keep Bouncing) control as appropriate, so as to drive the host vehicle M along the target driving route. It is a so-called semi-automatic driving mode.

[0038] The second driving control mode is an automatic driving mode in which, without the need for the driver to hold the steering wheel, operate the accelerator, or operate the brake, the host vehicle M is driven according to the target route (route map information) by appropriately combining mainly the preceding vehicle following control with the lane center maintenance control and the lane departure suppression control through the control of, for example, the E / G_ECU 23, the PS_ECU 24, the BK_ECU 25, etc.

[0039] The evacuation mode is, for example, a mode for automatically stopping the host vehicle M on the road shoulder or the like when, during driving in the second driving control mode, driving in this mode becomes impossible to continue and the driver cannot take over the driving operation (that is, when it is impossible to shift to the manual driving mode or the first driving control mode).

[0040] A throttle actuator 35 is connected to the output side of the E / G_ECU 23. This throttle actuator 35 opens and closes the throttle valve of the electronic control throttle provided in the throttle body of the engine, and generates a desired engine output by adjusting the intake air flow rate by opening and closing the throttle valve according to a drive signal from the E / G_ECU 23.

[0041] A drive source, an electric power steering motor 28, is connected to the output side of the PS_ECU 24. This electric power steering motor 28 applies a steering torque with the rotational force of the motor to the steering mechanism. In automatic driving, by controlling the operation of the electric power steering motor 28 according to a drive signal from the PS_ECU 24, the lane center maintenance control for maintaining the running in the current driving lane and the lane change control for moving the host vehicle M to an adjacent lane (lane change control for overtaking, etc.) are executed.

[0042] On the output side of the BK_ECU 25, a brake actuator 29 is connected. This brake actuator 29 adjusts the brake hydraulic pressure supplied to the brake wheel cylinders provided on each wheel. When the brake actuator 29 is driven by a drive signal from the BK_ECU 25, a braking (retarding) force of the braking mechanism is generated on each wheel by the brake wheel cylinder, and the vehicle is forcibly decelerated.

[0043] On the input side of the traveling_ECU 22, a direction indicator (winker) control unit, which is a direction indicator control device not shown in the figure, etc. are connected. This direction indicator control unit receives an ON signal from a direction indicator lever (not shown in the figure), which is a direction indicator operation unit (winker lever) operated by the driver.

[0044] Also, a relay circuit is incorporated in the direction indicator control unit. By operating the direction indicator lever by the driver, two of the four direction indicators (winkers) 37a, 37b, 38a, 38b on the front, rear, left, and right of the host vehicle M shown in FIG. 2, which form a pair on the left and right, are made to blink. Here, for example, the right front direction indicator 37a and the right rear direction indicator 38a form a pair, and the left front direction indicator 37b and the left rear direction indicator 38b form a pair.

[0045] Furthermore, an alarm device 31 is connected to the output side of the traveling_ECU 22. This alarm device 31 executes alarm sounds such as voice and buzzer, warning displays on the instrument panel 26, the navigation monitor 30, etc.

[0046] The driving support device 1 configured as described above executes control to determine and prevent reverse travel when the host vehicle M is manually operated by the driver in the manual driving mode. The driving support device 1 performs control to prevent reverse travel even while executing preceding vehicle following control (ACC), lane center maintenance (ALKC) control, etc.

[0047] Here, while the driver sets the destination using the navigation system and manually drives the host vehicle M along the main line 100 along the target driving route R, as shown in FIG. 3, when the host vehicle M is driven in a direction that mistakenly enters the branch road 102 from the target driving route R of the main line 100, the driving support device 1 executes control to return the target driving route R or, when it is not possible to return to the target driving route R, re-set a new driving route R1 ( Figure 6 reference) to prevent reverse driving, which will be described based on FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0048] Note that the branch road 102 includes various side roads leading to the exit side of the highway, the side road leading from the general road to the entrance of the highway, the side road of the junction leading to other roads, the service area which is a road rest facility, the parking area (referred to as a rest area in the United States), etc. and so on.

[0049] (Reverse driving prevention control) First, the driving ECU 22 of the driving support device 1 calculates the target driving route R as shown in FIG. 4 (S1). The driving ECU 22 acquires the driving route information from the current location to the set destination from the map information stored in the high-precision road map database 19 and calculates the target driving route R.

[0050] Note that the target driving route R is displayed on the navigation monitor 30 as a driving route on the map. Also, the driving route of the target driving route R may be displayed on the digital instrument panel 26.

[0051] The driving ECU 22 determines whether the current driving position matches the target driving route R (S2). The driving ECU 22 determines whether the position coordinates of the host vehicle M received by the GNSS receiver 17 or the position of the host vehicle M estimated by the host vehicle position estimation unit 13b match the target driving route R on the map.

[0052] When the running ECU 22 determines that the current running position coincides with the target running route R, it returns to the routine of step S1. On the other hand, when the running position of the current host vehicle M does not coincide with the target running route R, the running ECU 22 determines whether or not it has entered the branch road 102 (S3).

[0053] When the running ECU 22 determines from the map information of the running position of the host vehicle M that it has not entered the branch road 102, it returns to the routine of step S1. On the other hand, when the running ECU 22 determines from the map information of the running position of the host vehicle M that it has entered the branch road 102, it determines whether or not it has detected a return operation to the target running route R (S4).

[0054] This return operation means that the running ECU 22 detects that based on the driver's driving operation, steering to return to the target running route R from the steering angle amount of the steering angle sensor 18, lighting of the turn signals 37a and 38a by the turn signal control unit, etc. have been performed.

[0055] When the running ECU 22 does not detect a return operation by the driver attempting to return to the target running route R, it resets to a new running route R1 (see FIG. 6) to the destination of traveling on the branch road 102 (S5).

[0056] The running ECU 22 acquires and resets the new running route R1 to the set destination from the map information. That is, the running ECU 22 calculates and resets a new running route for the host vehicle M to reach the destination via the branch road 102.

[0057] Note that when the branch road 102 is a side road leading to an exit or entrance of a highway, the running ECU 22 resets to a running route that passes through a toll gate and returns to the main line 100 of a general road or highway. In the case of a side road to a service area, a parking area (referred to as a rest area in the United States), etc., which are road rest facilities, it resets to a running route via a merging road (not shown) that merges into the main line 100. In the case of a side road at a junction to another road, it resets to a running route via another road, etc.

[0058] Then, the traveling ECU 22 starts guiding the new traveling route R1 (S6) and returns to the routine of step S1.

[0059] In step S4, when the traveling ECU 22 detects a return operation by the driver who intends to return to the target traveling route R, it acquires the distance to the branch point 101 ( S7 ). The traveling ECU 22 acquires the distance to the branch point 101 based on the traveling position of the host vehicle M, the map information, and the forward traveling environment image information captured by the main camera 11a and the sub-camera 11b input from the IPU 11c.

[0060] Here, the traveling ECU 22 calculates and acquires the distance to an obstacle such as a pylon (color cone (registered trademark)) or a cushion drum or the edge of the road marking based on the forward traveling environment image information.

[0061] Then, the traveling ECU 22 acquires the information of the vehicle behind (S8). The traveling ECU 22 detects whether a following vehicle is traveling within a predetermined distance behind by means of the left rear side radar device 11rl and the right rear side radar device 11rr (or the back camera). In this embodiment, it detects whether a following vehicle is traveling within about 70 m behind.

[0062] Next, the traveling ECU 22 determines whether deceleration is possible based on the information of the vehicle behind (S9). When there is a following vehicle within about 70 m behind, the traveling ECU 22 determines that deceleration is not possible, shifts to the routine of step S5 described above, re-sets a new traveling route, and starts guiding the new traveling route R1 in step S6.

[0063] On the other hand, when there is no following vehicle within about 70 m behind, the traveling ECU 22 decelerates the host vehicle M to a predetermined speed (S10). The traveling ECU 22 controls the BK_ECU 25 to drive the brake actuator 29. At this time, the traveling ECU 22 may drive the warning device 31 to give a warning sound, warning display, etc. to alert the driver.

[0064] Note that the predetermined speed for deceleration is set to about 60 km / h in the case of a highway and about 40 km / h in the case of a general road.

[0065] Next, the traveling ECU 22 determines whether there is a traveling space in which it can return to the target traveling route R (S11). The traveling ECU 22 determines whether there is a traveling space in which it can return to the target traveling route R based on the distance to the branch point 101, the vehicle speed of the host vehicle M, the minimum turning radius, and the amount of steering angle.

[0066] When there is no traveling space in which the traveling ECU 22 can return to the target traveling route R, it executes the direction change return determination control shown in FIG. 5 described later.

[0067] On the other hand, when there is a traveling space in which the traveling ECU 22 can return to the target traveling route R, the traveling ECU 22 determines whether there is an approaching vehicle behind the target traveling route R (S12). Here too, the traveling ECU 22 detects an approaching vehicle behind the target traveling route R by means of the left rear side radar device 11rl and the right rear side radar device 11rr (or the back camera).

[0068] When there is an approaching vehicle behind the target traveling route R, the traveling ECU 22 determines that it cannot return to the target traveling route R, shifts to the routine of step S5 described above, re-sets a new traveling route, and starts guiding the new traveling route R1 in step S6.

[0069] On the other hand, when there is no approaching vehicle behind the target traveling route R, the traveling ECU 22 sets a return route to the target traveling route R (S13). That is, the traveling ECU 22 generates and sets a route for returning the host vehicle M, which is about to enter the branch road 102 from the branch point 101, to the target traveling route R.

[0070] Then, the traveling ECU 22 executes return control (S14). In this return control, on behalf of the driver, the traveling ECU 22 drives and controls the electric power steering motor 28, the brake actuator 29, the throttle actuator 27, etc. by the E / G ECU 23, the PS ECU 24, and the BK ECU 25 based on the forward traveling environment image information, and causes the host vehicle M to travel along the return path to the target traveling path R of the main line 100 as shown in FIG. 7.

[0071] At this time as well, the traveling ECU 22 may drive the warning device 31 to give a warning sound, warning display, etc., and alert the driver to return the host vehicle M to the target traveling path R. Then, after returning the host vehicle M to the target traveling path R, the traveling ECU 22 transfers the operation of the host vehicle M to the driver (S15) and returns to the routine of step S1.

[0072] (Direction change return determination control) Here, the direction change return determination control in step S16 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

[0073] The traveling ECU 22 determines whether there is a space where a direction change is possible on the target traveling path R (S21). The traveling ECU 22 determines whether there is a direction change space where it is possible to return to the target traveling path R based on the distance to the branch point 101, the minimum turning radius, and the amount of steering angle.

[0074] When there is a space where a direction change is possible on the target traveling path R, the traveling ECU 22 determines whether there is a following vehicle within a predetermined distance behind the target traveling path R (S22). The predetermined distance here is preferably 300 m or more. However, with the left rear side radar device 11rl and the right rear side radar device 11rr (or the back camera), if the detection (search) range is within the radar detection range (back camera recognition range), information is acquired from the radar, and when it is outside the radar detection range (back camera recognition range), the traveling ECU 22 acquires the following vehicle information from vehicle-to-roadside infrastructure communication (V2I) or vehicle-to-vehicle communication (V2V).

[0075] When there is no space to change direction to the target travel route R in step S21, or when there is a following vehicle within a predetermined distance behind the target travel route R in step S22, the traveling ECU 22, as shown in FIG. 6, determines that a direction change to the target travel route R is not possible, proceeds to the routine of step S5 described above, re-sets a new travel route, and starts guiding the new travel route R1 in step S6.

[0076] On the other hand, when there is no following vehicle within a predetermined distance behind the target travel route R in step S22, the traveling ECU 22 sets a direction change route to the target travel route R (S23). That is, the traveling ECU 22 generates and sets a route for returning the host vehicle M, which is about to enter the branch road 102 from the branch point 101, by changing its direction to the target travel route R.

[0077] The traveling ECU 22 executes direction change control (S24), transfers the operation of the host vehicle M in step S15 to the driver, and returns to the routine of step S1. The direction change control in step S24 is also performed by the traveling ECU 22 on behalf of the driver. Based on the forward traveling environment image information, the E / G ECU 23, the PS ECU 24, and the BK ECU 25 drive and control the electric power steering motor 28, the brake actuator 29, the throttle actuator 27, etc., so that, as shown in FIG. 8, the host vehicle M decelerates, stops, changes direction, and travels to the target travel route R on the main line 100.

[0078] As described above, when the driver has mistakenly traveled into the branch road 102 instead of the target travel route R set by the driver, the driving support device 1 of the vehicle returns the vehicle to the target travel route R or re-sets another travel route R1 by the travel system, thereby preventing the vehicle from traveling in reverse.

[0079] That is, in order to prevent the host vehicle M from traveling in reverse, the driving support device 1 branches from the main line 100 to the branch road 102 toIn order to prevent a driver who has noticed that the vehicle is not on the planned target driving route R after entering from reversing to return to the target driving route 100, if the vehicle enters the branch road 102 even though the target driving route is the main line 100, and it is possible to return the vehicle to the target driving route R of the main line 100, the system by intervenes to return the host vehicle M to the target driving route R.

[0080] And when the driving support device 1 cannot return the vehicle to the target driving route R of the main line 100, it re-sets a new driving route R1 to the destination via the branch road 102 and starts guiding.

[0081] Thus, the driving support device 1 of the present embodiment can prevent a driver from mistakenly setting the target driving route R toward the set destination and trying to reverse the host vehicle M to return to the target driving route R.

[0082] Each ECU22~25 of the driving support device 1 of the host vehicle M has a processor including a storage device such as a central processing unit (CPU), ROM, and RAM. Further, all or part of the configuration of the plurality of circuits of the processor may be executed by software. For example, the CPU may read and execute various programs corresponding to each function stored in the ROM.

[0083] Furthermore, all or part of the functions of the processor may be configured by a logic circuit or an analog circuit, and the processing of various programs may be realized by an electronic circuit such as an FPGA.

[0084] The invention described in the above embodiments is not limited to those forms, and various modifications can be implemented without departing from the gist thereof at the implementation stage. Furthermore, each of the above forms includes inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriate combinations of a plurality of disclosed constituent elements.

[0085] For example, if some of the constituent elements shown in each form are deleted but the described problems can be solved and the described effects can be obtained, the configuration with these constituent elements deleted can be extracted as an invention.

Explanation of Signs

[0086] 1… Driving support device 10… Travel control device 11… Travel environment recognition unit 11a… Main camera 11b… Sub-camera 11d… Travel environment recognition section 11fl… Left front side radar device 11fr… Right front side radar device 11rl… Left rear side radar device 11rr… Right rear side radar device 12… Locator unit 13… Locator arithmetic unit 13a… Map information acquisition section 13b… Own vehicle position estimation section 14… Acceleration sensor 15… Wheel speed sensor 16… Gyro sensor 17… GNSS receiver 18… Steering angle sensor 19… High-precision road map database 22… Travel control unit 23… Engine control unit 24… Power steering control unit 25… Brake control unit 26… Instrument panel 27… Throttle actuator 28… Electric power steering motor 29… Brake actuator 30… Navigation monitor 31… Warning device 35… Throttle actuator 37a… Right front direction indicator 37b… Left front direction indicator 38a… Right rear direction indicator 38b… Left rear direction indicator 100… Main line 101… Branch point 102… Branch road M… Own vehicle R… Target driving route R1… New driving route

Claims

1. An external recognition device that acquires driving environment information around the host vehicle, A locator unit that stores road map information and detects the position of the host vehicle based on a positioning signal, A driving control unit that controls the vehicle based on the driving environment information in front of and behind the vehicle by the external recognition device, Comprising: When the driver is driving the host vehicle along the target driving route, when the host vehicle enters a branch road different from the target driving route, and when the driving control unit detects a return operation to the target driving route by the driver, it determines whether it is possible to return to the target driving route based on whether there is a following vehicle driving within at least a predetermined distance behind. When there is no following vehicle and it is possible to return, it executes control to return the host vehicle to the target driving route. When there is a following vehicle and it is impossible to return, it re-sets a new driving route to the destination via the branch road. A driving support device characterized by this.

2. The driving control unit is characterized in that, based on the driving operation of the driver, it detects a steering operation to return to the target driving route from the steering angle amount of the steering angle sensor, or the return operation from the lighting of the turn signal. The driving support device according to Claim 1.

3. The driving control unit is characterized in that, when there is a space where the direction of the host vehicle can be changed on the target driving route, it executes control to change the direction of the host vehicle and return it to the target driving route. The driving support device according to Claim 1.

4. The driving control unit determines whether there is an approaching vehicle behind the target driving route when there is a space where the direction of the host vehicle can be changed on the target driving route. When there is an approaching vehicle, it makes it impossible to return to the target driving route. When there is no approaching vehicle, it makes it possible to return and changes the direction of the host vehicle. The driving support device according to Claim 3, characterized by this.

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