Mobile control device, mobile control method, and program

Abstract

To perform a lane change in accordance with a driver's intention while securing safety in the lane change.SOLUTION: A movable body control device comprises: a lane change detection part which detects the start of a lane change of a movable body; an outer information acquisition part which acquires outer information on the movable body; a determination part which determines whether or not an object that is likely to come into contact with the movable body is present in a predetermined area in a movement direction due to the lane change, on the basis of the outer information; a lane change suppression part which suppresses the lane change of the movable body when it is determined that the object is present in the predetermined area; a user operation detection part which detects a safety checking operation of the movable body by a user; and an operation detection part which detects the operation of a direction indicator showing the movement direction of the movable body to the surroundings. In a state of suppressing the lane change of the movable body, the suppression of the lane change is canceled when the safety checking operation and the operation of the direction indicator are detected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a movement control device, a movement control method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a technique related to lane change suppression control that notifies a driver of a vehicle when an approach to another vehicle in a lane change destination is detected during a lane change of the vehicle, or avoids contact with another vehicle by automatic steering control (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the conventional technology has not considered the intention of the driver of the moving body when the moving body is under lane change suppression control. Therefore, even when the driver determines that it is safe and wants to execute a lane change during lane change suppression control, the lane change suppression control may be excessively continued due to overemphasis on safety. Therefore, there are cases where a lane change according to the driver's intention cannot be executed.

[0005] One object of an aspect of the present invention is to provide a movement control device, a movement control method, and a program that can execute a lane change according to the driver's intention while ensuring safety during a lane change, in consideration of such circumstances.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The mobile body control device, mobile body control method, and program according to the present invention employ the following configurations. (1): A mobile body control device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a lane change detection unit that detects the start of a lane change from the traveling lane of the mobile body to an adjacent lane, an external information acquisition unit that acquires external information of the mobile body, a determination unit that determines, based on the external information, whether there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the mobile body in a predetermined region in the moving direction due to the lane change, a lane change suppression unit that suppresses the lane change operation of the mobile body when it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined region, a user operation detection unit that detects a safety confirmation operation of the user of the mobile body, and an operation detection unit that detects the operation of a direction indicator indicating the moving direction of the mobile body around it. The lane change suppression unit, after the operation of changing lanes in the lane width direction from the traveling lane of the mobile body to the adjacent lane is started At the first time and when when it is determined by the determination unit that the the contact possibility is high object exists in the predetermined region, suppresses the lane change operation, and in a state where the lane change operation of the mobile body is suppressed, At a second time after the first time, when the safety confirmation operation by the user and the operation of the direction indicator are detected whereas then when there is no object with a high contact possibility in the predetermined area, releases the suppression of the lane change operation and and even when a safety confirmation operation by the user and an operation of the direction indicator are detected at the second time, if there is an object with a high contact possibility with the moving body in the predetermined area, the suppression of the lane change is continued. is a mobile body control device.

[0007] (2): In the aspect of (1) above, the lane change suppression unit continues to suppress the lane change even when either the safety confirmation operation of the user or the operation of the direction indicator is detected while the lane change of the mobile body is being suppressed. the lane change operation while suppressing the lane change of the mobile body, and continues to suppress the lane change even when either the safety confirmation operation of the user or the operation of the direction indicator is detected. of the operation is to continue the suppression.

[0009] ( 3 ): In the above (1) or (2)In the aspect, the determination unit determines whether there is a high possibility that the moving body and the object come into contact based on the relative position and relative velocity between the moving body and the object.

[0010] ( 4 ): In any one of the above (1) to ( 3 ) aspects, when neither the safety confirmation operation nor the operation of the direction indicator is detected by the lane change suppression unit and the suppression of the lane change is continued, the notification control unit further includes a notification control unit that notifies the user of information prompting the execution of the non-detected one. of the operation is provided.

[0011] ( 5 ): In any one of the above (1) to ( 4 ) aspects, when the user operation detection unit detects a predetermined operation by the user for a predetermined time or more or a predetermined number of times or more, the predetermined operation is detected as a safety confirmation operation. and the predetermined operation is at least one of a confirmation operation of a lane change destination of the moving body and a predetermined gesture operation. .

[0012] ( 6 ): In the aspect of the above ( 5 ), the predetermined operation includes a rear confirmation operation by the user's turning or a rear confirmation operation by a mirror provided on the moving body.

[0013] ( 7 ): In any one of the above (1) to ( 6 ) aspects, when the safety confirmation operation by the user and the operation of the direction indicator are detected and the suppression of the lane change is of the operation released, the determination unit makes it less likely to determine that there is an object with a high possibility of coming into contact with the moving body than when the safety confirmation operation by the user is not detected. is (8): In the aspect of (1) above, the suppression of the lane change operation outputs a force in a direction opposite to the steering operation of the user of the moving body to the adjacent lane to the driving operator of the moving body, or suppresses the steering control of the moving body to the adjacent lane, and performs steering control so that a predetermined portion or more of the moving body exists in the traveling lane. The lane change suppression unit continues to suppress the lane change operation until the safety confirmation operation and the operation of the direction indicator are detected. (9): In the aspect of (1) above, the user is the driver of the moving body, the user operation detection unit detects a safety confirmation operation of a passenger other than the driver of the moving body, and the lane change suppression unit suppresses the lane change operation of the moving body. When a safety confirmation operation by the passenger and an operation of the direction indicator are detected, the suppression of the lane change operation is released.

[0014] (10) Another aspect of the present invention is that a computer detects the start of a lane change from the travel lane of a moving body to an adjacent lane, acquires external information of the moving body, and based on the external information, determines whether there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in a predetermined region in the moving direction due to the lane change. When it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined region, the lane change operation of the moving body is suppressed, the safety confirmation operation of the user of the moving body is detected, the operation of a direction indicator indicating the moving direction of the moving body is detected around, and after the operation of the lane change in the lane width direction from the travel lane of the moving body to the adjacent lane has been started At the first time to when when the contact possibility is high it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined region, the lane change operation is suppressed, and in a state where the lane change operation of the moving body is suppressed, At a second time after the first time, when the safety confirmation operation by the user and the operation of the direction indicator are detected whereas , when there is no object with a high contact possibility in the predetermined area, the suppression of the lane change operation is released and when a safety confirmation operation by the user and an operation of the direction indicator are detected at the second time, if there is an object with a high contact possibility with the moving body in the predetermined area, the suppression of the lane change is continued. This is a vehicle control method.

[0015] (11) Another aspect of the present invention is to cause a computer to detect the start of a lane change from the travel lane of a moving body to an adjacent lane, acquire external information of the moving body, and based on the external information, determine whether there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in a predetermined region in the moving direction due to the lane change. When it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined region, the lane change operation of the moving body is suppressed, the safety confirmation operation of the user of the moving body is detected, the operation of a direction indicator indicating the moving direction of the moving body is detected around, and after the operation of the lane change in the lane width direction from the travel lane of the moving body to the adjacent lane has been started At the first time to when when the contact possibility is high it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined region, the lane change operation is suppressed, and in a state where the lane change operation of the moving body is suppressed, At a second time after the first time, when the safety confirmation operation by the user and the operation of the direction indicator are detected whereas, when there is no object with a high contact possibility in the predetermined area, A program that releases the suppression of the lane change operation. Even when a safety confirmation operation by the user and an operation of the direction indicator are detected at the second time, if there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in the predetermined area, the suppression of the lane change is continued.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to the above aspects (1) to ( 11 ), it is possible to execute a lane change according to the driver's intention while ensuring safety during lane change.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] ​Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, embodiments of the movement control device, movement control method, and program of the present invention will be described. It is assumed that the movement control device of the embodiment is mounted on a moving body. The moving body is, for example, a vehicle. The vehicle is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using the electric power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or the discharge power of a secondary battery or a fuel cell. In addition to (or instead of) a vehicle, the moving body may include, for example, a ship, a flying object (including, for example, a drone, an aircraft, etc.). Hereinafter, it will be described assuming that the moving body is a vehicle.

[0019] [Overall Configuration] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle system 1 equipped with a movement control device according to an embodiment. The vehicle system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a navigation device 50, a driver monitor camera 70, a driving operator 80, a vehicle control device 100, a traveling driving force output device 200, a brake device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other by a multiplex communication line such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, or the like. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and a part of the configuration may be omitted, or further, another configuration may be added. A combination of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 is an example of an "external sensor". In addition, the external sensor may include, for example, a sonar (not shown). The external sensor may include the object recognition device 16, but will be described as not including it hereinafter. The vehicle control device 100 is an example of a "movement control device".

[0020] The camera 10 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). One or more cameras 10 are attached to an arbitrary location on a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the host vehicle M) on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted. For example, when imaging the front of the host vehicle M, the camera 10 is attached to the upper part of the front windshield, the back surface of the rearview mirror, or the like. When imaging the rear of the host vehicle M, the camera 10 is attached to the upper part of the rear windshield, the back door, or the like. When imaging the side and the rear side of the host vehicle M, the camera 10 is attached to a door mirror or the like. The camera 10 periodically and repeatedly images the periphery of the host vehicle M, for example. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0021] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves to the periphery of the host vehicle M, and detects radio waves (reflected waves) reflected by surrounding objects to detect at least the positions (distance and azimuth) of the objects. One or more radar devices 12 are attached to an arbitrary location on the host vehicle M. The radar device 12 may detect the position and speed of surrounding objects by an FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0022] The LIDAR 14 irradiates light to the periphery of the host vehicle M and measures scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time from light emission to light reception. The light to be irradiated is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 is attached to an arbitrary location on the host vehicle M. When a sonar is provided on the host vehicle M, the sonar is provided, for example, at the front end and the rear end of the host vehicle M and installed on a bumper or the like. The sonar detects an object existing within a predetermined distance from the host vehicle M.

[0023] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the components of the external sensors (for example, the camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, and the sonar), and recognizes the positions, types, speeds, etc. of the objects around the host vehicle M. The objects include, for example, other vehicles (for example, surrounding vehicles existing within a predetermined distance from the host vehicle M), pedestrians, bicycles, road structures, etc. The road structures include, for example, road signs, traffic signals, curbs, median strips, guardrails, fences, walls, level crossings, etc. In addition, the road structures may include road markings such as road division lines drawn or pasted on the road surface, crosswalks, bicycle crosswalks, stop lines, etc. When the object recognition device 16 recognizes a road division line, it may recognize the line type. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition result to the vehicle control device 100. Note that the object recognition device 16 may output the detection result of the external sensor to the vehicle control device 100 as it is. In that case, the object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the configuration of the vehicle system 1. Alternatively, the object recognition device 16 may be included in the vehicle control device 100.

[0024] The communication device 20 communicates with, for example, other vehicles existing around the host vehicle M, the terminal device of the user who uses the host vehicle M, or various server devices by using networks such as a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), LAN (Local Area Network), WAN (Wide Area Network), and the Internet.

[0025] The HMI 30 presents various information to the user of the host vehicle M and receives input operations by the user. The user includes, for example, occupants such as the driver who drives the host vehicle M and passengers. Hereinafter, unless otherwise distinguished, the description will be made by referring to them as "occupants". The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display unit 32, a speaker 34, and a turn signal switch 36. In addition, the HMI 30 may include a buzzer, a touch panel, a switch, a key, a microphone, etc.

[0026] The display unit 32 is provided, for example, below the front windshield and on the dashboard provided in front of the driver's seat and the passenger seat in the vehicle interior. Further, the display unit 32 is provided, for example, near the front of the driver's seat (the seat closest to the steering wheel), and may be installed at a position where the driver can view it through the gap between the steering wheels or over the steering wheel.

[0027] The display unit 32 is various display devices such as, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The display unit 32 displays the image output by the HMI control unit 170 described later. Further, the display unit 32 may be a touch panel that receives operations by the occupant on the screen. Further, the display unit 32 may function as an instrument panel (meter display) that displays instruments such as a speedometer and a tachometer.

[0028] At least one speaker 34 is installed in the vehicle interior. The speaker 34 outputs, for example, voice, warning sounds, etc. under the control of the HMI control unit 170.

[0029] The turn signal switch 36 is provided, for example, on the steering column or the steering wheel. The turn signal switch 36 is an example of an operation unit that receives an instruction for a lane change (changing lanes) of the host vehicle M by the driver. The turn signal switch 36 may be, for example, a turn signal lever or a turn signal button. For example, when the turn signal switch 36 is operated in the direction of the lane change of the host vehicle M by the driver (the moving direction of the host vehicle M), a direction indicator indicating the moving direction of the host vehicle M to the surroundings (for example, a turn signal (outdoor lighting unit)) blinks.

[0030] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects a yaw rate (for example, the rotational angular velocity around the vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the host vehicle M), a direction sensor that detects the direction of the host vehicle M, and the like. Further, the vehicle sensor 40 may include a position sensor that detects the position of the host vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. Further, the position sensor may be, for example, a sensor that acquires position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 described later. Further, the vehicle sensor 40 may include, for example, a steering sensor that detects the steering amount (for example, the steering angle) of the host vehicle M. The results detected by the vehicle sensor 40 are output to the vehicle control device 100.

[0031] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 holds map information 54 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 identifies the position of the vehicle M based on the signals received from the GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be identified or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that uses the output of the vehicle sensor 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, and the like. The navigation HMI 52 may be partially or entirely shared with the above-described HMI 30. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter, a route on the map) from the position of the vehicle M identified by the GNSS receiver 51 (or an arbitrary input position) to the destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52 with reference to the map information 54.

[0032] The map information 54 is information in which the road shape is represented by, for example, a link indicating a road and nodes connected by the link. The map information 54 may include the curvature of the road, POI (Point Of Interest) information, etc. Further, the map information 54 may include, for example, information on the center of a lane (lane) or information on the boundary of a lane (road marking). Further, the map information 54 may include road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The map information 54 may be updated at any time when the communication device 20 communicates with other devices. Further, the map information 54 may be stored in the storage unit 180 described later.

[0033] The navigation device 50 may perform route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on a route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be realized, for example, by the function of a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal used by a passenger. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current position and the destination to the navigation server via the communication device 20 and acquire a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0034] The driver monitor camera 70 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD or a CMOS. The driver monitor camera 70 is attached at an arbitrary location in the host vehicle M at a position and orientation capable of imaging the head and upper body of the driver sitting in the driver's seat of the host vehicle M from the front (from the direction of imaging the face). For example, the driver monitor camera 70 is attached to the upper part of a display device provided at the center of the instrument panel of the host vehicle M, the upper part of the front windshield, a rearview mirror, etc. The driver monitor camera 70, for example, periodically and repeatedly images an image including the driver. Further, the driver monitor camera 70 may image an image including passengers in the vehicle interior in addition to the driver.

[0035] The driving operator 80 includes, for example, a steering wheel for the driver to perform a steering operation, and various operators such as an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a shift lever. An operation detection unit for detecting the operation amount of the operation by the driver is attached to each operator of the driving operator 80. The operation detection unit detects the depression amount of the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal, the position of the shift lever, the steering angle and the steering torque of the steering wheel, etc. Then, the operation detection unit outputs a detection signal indicating the detection result to one or both of the vehicle control device 100, or the traveling driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0036] Prior to the description of the vehicle control device 100, the traveling driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220 will be described. The traveling driving force output device 200 outputs a traveling driving force (torque) for the host vehicle M to travel to the drive wheels. The traveling driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, etc., and a power ECU (Electronic Control Unit) for controlling these. The power ECU controls the above configuration according to the information input from the vehicle control device 100 (for example, the lane change suppression unit 140 described later), or the information input from the driving operator 80.

[0037] The braking device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the vehicle control device 100 (for example, the lane change suppression unit 140) or information input from the operation operator 80, so that braking torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. The braking device 210 may include, as a backup, a mechanism that transmits the hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal included in the operation operator 80 to the cylinder via the master cylinder. Note that the braking device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may be an electronically controlled hydraulic braking device that controls an actuator according to information input from the vehicle control device 100 and transmits the hydraulic pressure of the master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0038] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor acts on, for example, a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor according to information input from the vehicle control device 100 (for example, the lane change suppression unit 140) or information input from the operation operator 80, and changes the direction of the steered wheels.

[0039] [Configuration of Vehicle Control Device] The vehicle control device 100 includes, for example, an external recognition unit 110, a lane change detection unit 120, a contact possibility determination unit 130, a lane change suppression unit 140, a driver operation detection unit 150, an operation detection unit 160, an HMI control unit 170, and a storage unit 180. The external recognition unit 110, the lane change detection unit 120, the contact possibility determination unit 130, the lane change suppression unit 140, the driver operation detection unit 150, the operation detection unit 160, and the HMI control unit 170 are each realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Also, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including a circuit unit; circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by cooperation between software and hardware. The above-described program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as an HDD or a flash memory of the vehicle control device 100, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD, a CD-ROM, or a memory card, and may be installed in the storage device of the vehicle control device 100 by mounting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) on a drive device, a card slot, or the like. The external recognition unit 110 is an example of an "external information acquisition unit". The contact possibility determination unit 130 is an example of a "determination unit". The driver operation detection unit 150 is an example of a "user operation detection unit". The HMI control unit 170 is an example of a "notification control unit".

[0040] The memory unit 180 may be implemented by the above various memory devices, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), or RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The memory unit 180 stores, for example, the processing results executed by the vehicle control device 100, programs executed by the computer of the vehicle control device, and other various information. Further, map information 54 may be stored in the memory unit 180.

[0041] The external recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding situation (external information) of the host vehicle M based on the information input from the external sensors via, for example, the object recognition device 16. Specifically, the external recognition unit 110 recognizes the objects existing around the host vehicle M. The area around the host vehicle M is, for example, an area within a predetermined distance from a reference point of the host vehicle M (for example, the center or the center of gravity of the host vehicle M). Also, the surrounding range may be set according to the detectable ranges (detection performances) of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14.

[0042] The external recognition unit 110 acquires, for example, the position, shape, size, area, etc. of the object. Also, when the object is another vehicle, the external recognition unit 110 recognizes the state such as the position, speed, and acceleration of the other vehicle. The position of the other vehicle may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the other vehicle, or may be represented by an area represented by the contour of the other vehicle. The "state" of the other vehicle may include the acceleration, jerk, or "behavior state" of the other vehicle (for example, whether it is changing lanes or about to change lanes). Also, the external recognition unit 110 may recognize the relative speed and relative distance (relative position) between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle based on the position and speed of the other vehicle and the position and speed of the host vehicle M obtained from the vehicle sensor 40 or the like.

[0043] In addition, the external recognition unit 110 recognizes the lane (travel lane) on which the host vehicle M is traveling based on the information input from the external sensors via the object recognition device 16. For example, the external recognition unit 110 analyzes the image captured by the camera 10, extracts edge points with a large luminance difference from adjacent pixels in the image, and connects the edge points to recognize the road marking lines in the image plane. Further, the external recognition unit 110 may refer to the map information stored in the navigation device 50 and the storage unit 180 based on the position information of the host vehicle M obtained by the vehicle sensor 40, and recognize the road marking lines associated with the road on which the host vehicle M is traveling. Also, the external recognition unit 110 may compare the road marking lines recognized based on the captured image of the camera 10 with the road marking lines obtained from the map information, and recognize the road marking lines with high accuracy. Then, the external recognition unit 110 recognizes the travel lane based on the left and right road marking lines of the host vehicle M. Further, the external recognition unit 110 may recognize the travel lane by recognizing the driving lane boundary (road boundary) including not only the road marking lines but also the road shoulder, curb, median strip, guardrail, etc. Also, the external recognition unit 110 may recognize the adjacent lane adjacent to the travel lane and information regarding the road shape. Also, the external recognition unit 110 may recognize a stop line, an obstacle, a red signal, a toll gate, and other road events.

[0044] In addition, when recognizing the travel lane, the external recognition unit 110 may recognize the position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the travel lane. For example, the external recognition unit 110 may recognize, as the relative position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the travel lane, the deviation of the reference point of the host vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle formed with respect to the line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the host vehicle M. Alternatively, the external recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the reference point of the host vehicle M with respect to any side end (road marking line or road boundary) of the travel lane as the relative position of the host vehicle M with respect to the travel lane.

[0045] The lane change detection unit 120 , operationBased on the operation content by the driver and the behavior of the host vehicle M, the start of a lane change of the host vehicle M is detected. For example, when the lane change detection unit 120 receives an on-operation of a switch indicating a lane change to an adjacent lane existing on the right or left side of the driving lane of the host vehicle M by the turn signal switch 36, the start of the lane change of the host vehicle M is detected. Further, in addition to (or instead of) the switch on-operation of the turn signal switch 36, the lane change detection unit 120 may detect the start of the lane change of the host vehicle M when the flashing of the turn signal starts or when the turn signal relay for flashing the turn signal operates. Further, the lane change detection unit 120 may detect the start of the lane change of the host vehicle M when the steering angle of the host vehicle M detected from the vehicle sensor 40 is equal to or greater than a predetermined angle and there is an adjacent lane in the traveling direction. Further, the lane change detection unit 120 may detect the start of the lane change of the host vehicle M when the lateral position (position in the lane width direction) of the host vehicle M on the driving lane detected from the vehicle sensor 40 has moved a predetermined distance or more from the center of the driving lane toward the adjacent lane side. Further, the lane change detection unit 120 may detect the start of the lane change of the host vehicle M when the host vehicle M is present on the road marking line that divides the driving lane and the adjacent lane. Further, the lane change detection unit 120 may receive the voice of the occupant with the microphone of the HMI 30, analyze the received voice, and detect the start of the lane change when the analysis result includes information indicating that a lane change is to be performed.

[0046] Furthermore, the lane change detection unit 120 may detect the start of the lane change of the host vehicle M when detected by a predetermined number or more of the above-described multiple types of detection methods. Also, the lane change detection unit 120 may select a detection method according to the surrounding situation of the host vehicle M (for example, the situation of other vehicles traveling in the lane (lane) to which the lane change is to be made and the surrounding road situation).

[0047] Further, when the lane change detection unit 120 detects the start of a lane change of the host vehicle M, it recognizes the lane to which the host vehicle M is changing lanes based on the operation content by the turn signal switch 36 or the like and the behavior of the host vehicle M. For example, the lane change detection unit 120 recognizes, as the lane to which the host vehicle M is changing lanes, the adjacent lane in the direction indicated by the turn signal switch 36, the adjacent lane in the direction in which the turn signal is blinking, or the adjacent lane in the direction in which the host vehicle M has moved with reference to the center of the traveling lane.

[0048] The contact possibility determination unit 130 determines whether there is a possibility that an object and the host vehicle M come into contact based on the surrounding situation (external information) recognized by the external recognition unit 110. For example, the contact possibility determination unit 130 comprehensively determines the contact possibility between the host vehicle M and the object based on each element such as the position, speed, distance from the object, position, speed, and predicted movement trajectory of the host vehicle M. For example, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines whether there is an object with a high possibility of coming into contact with the host vehicle M in a predetermined region in the moving direction due to a lane change based on the external information. The predetermined region may be, for example, the entire lane to which the host vehicle M is changing lanes, or a region including the movement path (movement trajectory) of the host vehicle M until the lane change predicted based on the position and speed of the host vehicle M is completed. Further, the predetermined region may be a region within a predetermined range based on the position of the host vehicle M after the lane change predicted based on the position and speed of the host vehicle M (the position on the lane to which the host vehicle M is changing lanes). Further, the predetermined region may be a region such as the side, rear side, front side, or blind spot region of the host vehicle M. Details of the function of the contact possibility determination unit 130 will be described later.

[0049] When the lane change suppression unit 140 detects the start of a lane change of the host vehicle M by the lane change detection unit 120 and, between the start of the lane change of the host vehicle M and the completion of the lane change, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and an object, the lane change suppression unit 140 performs control (lane change suppression control) to suppress the lane change of the host vehicle M. The completion of the lane change means, for example, that the position (e.g., the center) of the host vehicle M is positioned at the center of the lane to which the lane change is made, or that a predetermined portion or more of the entire host vehicle M is present in the lane to which the lane change is made.

[0050] The lane change suppression unit 140 includes, for example, a reaction force control unit 142 and a steering control unit 144. The reaction force control unit 142 outputs a force (operating reaction force) in the direction opposite to the direction of the driver's operation for performing a lane change to the steering wheel included in the driving operation element 80 operated by the driver. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the lane change operation for the driver who operates the steering wheel. The steering control unit 144 controls the steering device 220 to perform steering control of the host vehicle M so that, for example, the position of the host vehicle M is positioned at the center of the lane (travel lane) before the lane change or a predetermined portion or more of the entire host vehicle M is present in the lane before the lane change, regardless of the driving operation by the driver. In addition to the reaction force control unit 142 and the steering control unit 144, the lane change suppression unit 140 may include a speed control unit (not shown). The speed control unit controls the travel drive force output device 200 and the brake device 210 to perform speed control of the host vehicle M regardless of the driving operation by the driver so as to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and other vehicles that may come into contact.

[0051] In addition, when the lane change suppression control is executed, the lane change suppression unit 140 may change the turn signal switch 36 from the on state to the off state or stop the blinking of the turn signal.

[0052] The lane change suppression unit 140 terminates the lane change suppression control when the position of the host vehicle M is positioned at the center of the lane before the lane change, or when a predetermined portion or more of the entire host vehicle M exists in the lane before the lane change. Note that the lane change suppression unit 140 cancels the lane change suppression control when a driver safety confirmation operation is detected by the driver operation detection unit 150 and the operation of the turn signal is detected by the operation detection unit 160 during the execution of the lane change suppression control (before the end of the suppression control). "Cancellation" may include the meaning of "suspension" or "interruption".

[0053] The driver operation detection unit 150 detects a predetermined operation of the driver in a state where the lane change of the host vehicle M is suppressed (during suppression) by the lane change suppression unit 140. The predetermined operation of the driver is, for example, a predetermined operation for canceling the currently executed lane change suppression control, and specifically, a safety confirmation operation. For example, the driver operation detection unit 150 analyzes an image including the driver captured by the driver monitor camera 70, and detects a safety confirmation operation from the behavior of the driver obtained as an analysis result. For example, when it is estimated that the driver is looking in the direction of the surroundings of the host vehicle M and the lane of the lane change destination based on the operations such as the driver's line of sight, face direction, and posture, the driver operation detection unit 150 detects the above operation as the driver's safety confirmation operation. Further, the driver operation detection unit 150 may detect the above operation as the driver's safety confirmation operation when it is estimated that the driver is looking at other vehicles existing around the host vehicle M, or when it is estimated that the driver is looking at other vehicles determined by the contact possibility determination unit 130 to have a high possibility of contacting the host vehicle M among the other vehicles existing around the host vehicle M for a predetermined time or more.

[0054] In addition, the driver action detection unit 150 may detect, as a safety confirmation action, a backward confirmation action by the driver's turning based on the analysis result of the image captured by the driver monitor camera 70, or may detect, as a safety confirmation action, an action in which the driver is checking the rear by gazing at the side mirror or rear mirror provided on the host vehicle M. Thereby, a simple action of the driver can be detected as a safety confirmation action. Further, the driver action detection unit 150 may detect that the driver has performed a safety confirmation action when recognizing a gesture action indicating that the driver has performed a safety confirmation based on the analysis result of the image captured by the driver monitor camera 70. The gesture action is, for example, an action in which the driver nods largely toward the driver monitor camera 70, an action in which the finger is bent or extended to form a shape indicating that the safety confirmation has been completed, an action in which the hand is raised, etc., but may be other determined actions. Further, the driver action detection unit 150 may analyze the voice of the driver received by the microphone of the HMI 30 and detect the driver's safety confirmation action when the voice includes information indicating that the driver has performed a safety confirmation.

[0055] In addition, the driver action detection unit 150 may detect a safety confirmation action when detecting a predetermined number or more of predetermined actions among the above-described plurality of types of action detection methods, or may detect the predetermined action as the driver's safety confirmation action when detecting the predetermined action for a predetermined time or more or a predetermined number or more of times. Thereby, even when the driver performs a similar action that is not intended for safety confirmation, it is possible to suppress misdetection of the action as a safety confirmation action.

[0056] The operation detection unit 160 detects the operation of the turn signal by the driver in a state where the lane change of the host vehicle M is suppressed by the lane change suppression unit 140. For example, the operation detection unit 160 detects the operation of the turn signal when the turn signal blinks in a state where the lane change of the host vehicle M is suppressed. Further, the operation detection unit 160 may detect the operation of the turn signal when the HMI control unit 170 receives a switching operation (turn signal operation) of the turn signal switch 36 from the off state to the on state by the driver in a state where the lane change of the host vehicle M is suppressed. Further, the operation detection unit 160 may detect the operation of the turn signal when the turn signal relay for blinking the turn signal operates in a state where the lane change of the host vehicle M is suppressed. Further, the operation detection unit 160 detects the operation of the turn signal when it receives a turn signal operation (switch-on operation) of the turn signal switch 36 in the direction corresponding to the lane of the suppressed lane change destination, and does not detect the operation of the turn signal when it receives a turn signal operation of the turn signal switch 36 that indicates the direction opposite to the direction in which the lane exists.

[0057] When the lane change suppression unit 140 detects a driver safety confirmation operation by the driver operation detection unit 150 and detects the operation of the turn signal by the operation detection unit 160 in a state where the lane change of the host vehicle M is suppressed, the lane change suppression control is released. Thereby, while ensuring the safety during lane change, it is possible to realize a lane change according to the intention of the occupant without performing excessive suppression control of the lane change.

[0058] The HMI control unit 170 acquires the information received by the HMI 30 and notifies the vehicle occupants of predetermined information. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the running of the host vehicle M. The information related to the running of the host vehicle M includes, for example, the speed of the host vehicle M, the engine speed, the shift position, etc. Further, the predetermined information may include information related to operations or actions that prompt the occupants to execute. Further, the predetermined information may include, for example, information related to the current position, destination, and remaining fuel amount of the host vehicle M. Further, the predetermined information may include information not related to the running of the host vehicle M, such as TV programs and content (e.g., movies) stored in a storage medium such as a DVD.

[0059] Further, the HMI control unit 170 may output to the HMI 30 and notify the vehicle occupants of information indicating that the contact possibility between the host vehicle M and an object has been determined to be high by the contact possibility determination unit 130, information indicating that the lane change is being suppressed, information detected by the driver operation detection unit 150 or the operation detection unit 160, etc. Further, when executing the lane change suppression control, the HMI control unit 170 may output to the HMI 30 and notify the vehicle occupants of information for releasing the suppression control.

[0060] The HMI control unit 170 generates an image including information to be notified to the vehicle occupants and outputs the generated image to the display unit 32 of the HMI 30. Further, the HMI control unit 170 generates a voice including information to be notified to the vehicle occupants and outputs the generated voice to the speaker 34 of the HMI 30. Further, instead of (or in addition to) the display of the image and the output of the voice, the HMI control unit 170 may output an alarm or activate a vibration sensor (not shown) provided on the steering wheel or a vibration sensor (not shown) provided on the driver's seat, and notify the vehicle occupants by vibration.

[0061] Further, the HMI control unit 170 may acquire the information received by the HMI 30 and output the output information to the lane change detection unit 120, the lane change suppression unit 140, the driver operation detection unit 150, the communication device 20, and the like. Further, the HMI control unit 170 may transmit various information to be output to the HMI 30 to the passenger's terminal device via the communication device 20.

[0062] [Various Controls Related to Lane Change] Next, various controls related to lane change in the embodiment (for example, controls related to suppression and suppression release) will be described.

[0063] [Lane Change Suppression Control] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a scene where the lane change suppression control of the embodiment is executed. In the example of FIG. 2, two lanes (lane L1, L2) that can travel in the same direction (X-axis direction in the figure) are shown. At time t1 in the figure, it is assumed that the host vehicle M is traveling in lane L1 at a speed VM, and the other vehicle m1 is traveling in lane L2 at a speed Vm1. The other vehicle m1 is an example of an object. In FIG. 2, it is assumed that time t1 is the earliest and times t2, t3, and t4 are in descending order. Also, the position and speed of the host vehicle M at time t* are represented as M(t*) and VM(t*), and the position and speed of the other vehicle m1 are represented as m1(t*) and Vm1(t*). In the example of FIG. 2, the detection / non-detection of the start of lane change by the lane change detection unit 120 as time elapses, the on / off of the lane change suppression control by the lane change suppression unit 140, the detection / non-detection of the safety confirmation operation by the driver operation detection unit 150 during lane change suppression, and the detection / non-detection of the operation of the turn signal by the operation detection unit 160 during lane change suppression are each shown.

[0064] In the example of FIG. 2, at time t1 (when the host vehicle M (e.g., the front end of the host vehicle M) reaches point P1), the lane change detection unit 120 detects the start of a lane change of the host vehicle M by receiving a switch-on operation of the turn signal switch 36. In the example of FIG. 2, at time t1, the turn signal provided on the left side of the host vehicle M is blinking. Further, the lane change detection unit 120 detects that the host vehicle M changes lanes from lane L1 to lane L2.

[0065] The contact possibility determination unit 130 determines, for example, whether there is an object in the surroundings with a high possibility of contacting the host vehicle M. For example, when the start of a lane change of the host vehicle M is detected by the lane change detection unit 120, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines whether there is an object in lane L2, the lane change destination, with a high possibility of contacting the host vehicle M based on external information. For example, the contact possibility determination unit 130 derives a time to collision TTC (= relative distance / relative speed) using the relative position (relative distance) and relative speed between the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1 traveling in lane L2. Then, the contact possibility determination unit 130 compares the derived time to collision TTC with a predetermined determination threshold value. If the time to collision TTC is less than the threshold value, it is determined that there is a high possibility of contact. If the time to collision TTC is greater than or equal to the threshold value, it is determined that the possibility of contact is low. By determining whether there is a high possibility of contact based on the relative position and relative speed between the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1, the possibility of contact can be accurately determined, and the safety during lane change can be ensured.

[0066] In addition to (or instead of) the above-described control, the contact possibility determination unit 130 may determine that there is a high possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1 when another vehicle m1 is present in the blind spot area of the host vehicle M or when it is determined that another vehicle m1 is approaching the host vehicle M rapidly (e.g., the amount of decrease in relative distance per unit time is greater than or equal to a threshold value).

[0067] Note that the contact possibility determination unit 130 repeatedly determines the contact possibility at a predetermined timing. Further, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines not only the contact possibility with another vehicle m1 that travels in the lane L2 and exists behind and to the side of the host vehicle M, but also the contact possibility with objects (e.g., other vehicles) existing on the side and the front side of the host vehicle M when they exist. Furthermore, the contact possibility determination unit 130 may determine the contact possibility with objects (e.g., other vehicles) existing in front of or behind the host vehicle M while the host vehicle M travels in the lane L1).

[0068] In the example of FIG. 2, it is assumed that at time t2 (when the host vehicle M reaches the point P2), it is determined that the contact possibility between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 is high. In this case, the reaction force control unit 142 of the lane change suppression unit 140 turns on the reaction force control and outputs a force (operation reaction force) in the direction opposite to the operation direction to the lane L2 with respect to the steering wheel. Further, the steering control unit 144 of the lane change suppression unit 140 turns on the steering control and executes steering control for controlling the steering device 220 to return the position of the host vehicle M to the center of the lane L1). Further, the lane change suppression unit 140 ends the blinking of the turn signal of the host vehicle M.

[0069] Here, it is assumed that at time t3 (when the host vehicle M reaches the point P3) in FIG. 2, a safety confirmation operation by the driver is detected by the driver operation detection unit 150. However, since the operation of the turn signal is not detected by the operation detection unit 160, the lane change suppression unit 140 continues the suppression control of the lane change. Note that even when the operation of the turn signal is detected and the safety confirmation operation of the driver is not detected at time t3, the lane change suppression unit 140 continues the suppression control of the lane change. In this way, when either one of the safety confirmation operation and the operation of the turn signal is not detected, the suppression of the lane change is continued, so that it is possible to suppress a situation in which the suppression of the lane change is easily released and the safety at the time of lane change is impaired.

[0070] Then, the lane change suppression unit 140 terminates the lane change suppression control at the timing of the time t4 when the position of the host vehicle M is positioned at the center of the lane L1 (when the host vehicle M reaches the point P4). When the suppression control ends, the reaction force control by the reaction force control unit 142 becomes off, and the steering control by the steering control unit 144 becomes off. When the start of a lane change is detected again by the lane change detection unit 120 after the time t4, the determination process of the possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and the object is performed in the same manner as described above. When it is determined that the possibility of contact is high, the lane change suppression process is executed. When it is determined that the possibility of contact is not high, the lane change to the lane L2 is executed.

[0071] Also, when the lane change suppression control is executed at the timing of the time t2 in FIG. 2, the HMI control unit 170 may generate information indicating that the lane change suppression control is executed and information for releasing the suppression control, output the generated information to the HMI 30, and notify the occupant. The information to be generated may be image information, voice information, or both.

[0072] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM10 to be notified to the occupant when the lane change suppression control is executed. The image IM10 is an image displayed on the display unit 32. The display mode such as the layout and display content of the image IM10 is not limited to the example in FIG. 3. The same applies to other images described later.

[0073] The image IM10 includes, for example, a lane change suppression information display area A11 and a suppression release condition display area A12. The lane change suppression information display area A11 includes information regarding, for example, that lane change suppression control is being executed and the reason for executing the suppression control. In the example of FIG. 3, the characters "Lane change is suppressed because there is a high possibility of contact with other vehicles." are displayed in the lane change suppression information display area A11. The suppression release condition display area A12 includes information indicating conditions for releasing the suppression control before the lane change suppression control ends. In the example of FIG. 3, the characters "However, the suppression control will be released when both a safety confirmation operation and a turn signal operation are detected." are displayed in the suppression release condition display area A12.

[0074] By causing the display unit 32 to display the image IM10 shown in FIG. 3 and notifying the driver, the passengers can be made aware that the lane change of the host vehicle M is suppressed and the reason for executing the suppression control. In this way, by notifying the passengers of the current situation, the passengers can be reassured. Also, by notifying the release condition of the suppression control, even when the lane change is being suppressed (before the suppression control ends), the driver can perform the release operation at the timing when they think the lane change of the host vehicle M is possible and smoothly execute the lane change. Therefore, excessive execution of the lane change suppression control can be suppressed, and the driver can execute the lane change at an appropriate timing as intended.

[0075] Further, the HMI control unit 170 may generate information regarding the execution status of the release condition of the lane change suppression control and cause the generated information to be output to the HMI 30. For example, when one of the release conditions (safety confirmation operation, turn signal operation) of the lane change suppression control is being executed but the other is not, the HMI control unit 170 generates information prompting the driver to execute the other, and causes the generated information to be output to the HMI 30.

[0076] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an image IM20 including information on the execution status of the release conditions. The image IM20 shown in FIG. 4 is an image displayed on the display unit 32 at the timing of, for example, time t3. The image IM20 includes, for example, a lane change suppression information display area A21 and a suppression release condition display area A22. In the lane change suppression information display area A21, the same information as the above-described lane change suppression information display area A11 is displayed.

[0077] The suppression release condition display area A22 includes, for example, information prompting the execution of conditions that have not been executed (undetected conditions) among the release conditions of the suppression control. Further, the suppression release condition display area A22 may include information indicating both the executed conditions (detected conditions) and the unexecuted conditions (undetected conditions). In the example of FIG. 4, the characters "Among the release conditions of the suppression control, a safety confirmation operation has been detected. The suppression control will be released by operating the turn signal." are displayed in the suppression release condition display area A22. Thereby, the driver or the like can be made aware of the remaining release conditions for releasing the suppression control, and the driver can be prompted to execute the remaining release conditions. Further, based on the content displayed in the image IM20, if the driver wants to release the suppression control before it ends, the driver can smoothly execute the remaining release conditions. Conversely, if the driver does not want to release it, the driver can suppress the suppression control from being released unintentionally by executing the remaining release conditions.

[0078] Note that the HMI control unit 170 ends the display at the timing after a predetermined time has elapsed, after the suppression control ends, or after the suppression control is released, after displaying the image IM10 shown in FIG. 3 and the image IM20 shown in FIG. 4 on the display unit 32. Further, the HMI control unit 170 may output, from the speaker 34, a voice corresponding to the content to be displayed at the timing of displaying the images IM10 and IM20, or may output an alarm or the like.

[0079] [Release of Lane Change Suppression] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a scenario where the release condition is satisfied before the suppression control of the lane change ends, and the suppression control is released and the lane change is executed again. In the example of FIG. 5, the content after time t3 is different compared to the example of FIG. 2. Therefore, hereinafter, the processing mainly after time t3 will be described. At time t3 in FIG. 5, the driver operation detection unit 150 detects a safety confirmation operation by the driver, and the operation detection unit 160 detects the operation of the turn signal. As a result, since the release condition of the suppression control is satisfied at time t3, the lane change suppression unit 140 releases the suppression control before the lane change suppression control ends. When the suppression control is released, the reaction force control by the reaction force control unit 142 becomes the off state, and the steering control by the steering control unit 144 becomes the off state. In the example of FIG. 5, although a part of the detection times of the safety confirmation operation and the operation of the turn signal during the lane change suppression overlap, it is not necessary to detect them simultaneously. For example, the lane change suppression unit 140 may determine that the release condition is satisfied and release the suppression control of the lane change even if the operation of the turn signal is detected within a predetermined time (for example, within several seconds) after the safety confirmation operation is detected.

[0080] Also, after the suppression control is released, the lane change detection unit 120 detects the start of the lane change of the host vehicle M, and the same processing is executed based on the determination result by the contact possibility determination unit 130 as described above. In the example of FIG. 5, since there is no object with a high possibility of contact with the host vehicle M also after time t4, the lane change of the host vehicle M to the lane L2 by the driver's driving is continued.

[0081] Further, even when a safety confirmation operation by the driver and a turn signal operation are detected at time t13, if the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines that there is a high possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and an object, the suppression control of the lane change may be continued. Thereby, the safety of the host vehicle M at the time of lane change can be ensured. Further, when a lane change is performed after a safety confirmation operation by the driver and a turn signal operation are detected and the suppression control of the lane change is released, the condition for the contact possibility determination unit 130 to determine that there is a high possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and an object may be made stricter than when no safety confirmation operation is detected (before the execution of the suppression control). In this case, the contact possibility determination unit 130, for example, decreases the determination threshold value compared with the time to collision (TTC), making it less likely to determine that there is a high possibility of contact (in other words, there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body). Since the safety confirmation operation by the driver is being performed, safety can be ensured even when the determination threshold value is decreased, and it becomes easier to execute a lane change according to the driver's intention.

[0082] [Processing Flow] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment. In the following, among the processing executed by the vehicle control device 100, the processing mainly related to the suppression and release of the lane change of the host vehicle M will be described. Further, the processing of this flowchart may be repeatedly executed, for example, at a predetermined timing.

[0083] In the example of FIG. 6, first, the external environment recognition unit 110 recognizes external environment information based on the detection results of the external environment sensors (step S100). Next, the lane change detection unit 120 determines whether or not the start of a lane change of the host vehicle M has been detected (step S102). If it is determined that the start of the lane change has been detected, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines whether or not the possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle (object) is high (step S104). If it is determined that the possibility of contact is high, the lane change suppression unit 140 starts suppressing the lane change of the host vehicle M (step S106). Next, the HMI control unit 170 generates information indicating the execution of the lane change suppression control and the release conditions (safety confirmation operation, turn signal operation) of the suppression control, and causes the generated information to be output to the HMI 30 to notify the occupant (step S108).

[0084] Next, the lane change suppression unit 140 determines whether or not the lane change suppression control has ended (step S110). If it is determined that the suppression control has not ended, the lane change suppression unit 140 determines whether or not a safety confirmation operation and a turn signal operation by the driver have been detected (step S112). If it is determined that the safety confirmation operation and the turn signal operation have been detected, the lane change suppression unit 140 cancels the suppression control before the lane change suppression control ends (step S114).

[0085] Also, in the process of step S112, if it is determined that the safety confirmation operation and the turn signal operation have not been detected, the lane change suppression unit 140 determines whether or not a safety confirmation operation or a turn signal operation by the driver has been detected (step S116). If it is determined that the safety confirmation operation or the turn signal operation has been detected, the HMI control unit 170 generates information prompting the occupant to execute the release condition that has not been detected as information regarding the execution status of the release condition, and causes the generated information to be output by the HMI 30 (step S118), and returns to the process of step S110.

[0086] Also, when it is determined that the suppression control of lane change has ended in the process of step S110, when the process of step S114 has ended, when it is determined that the start of lane change has not been detected in the process of step S102, or when it is determined that the possibility of contact with other vehicles is not high in the process of step S104, the processing of this flowchart ends. Note that, among the processes shown in FIG. 6, the process of step S108 may not be executed.

[0087] [Modified Example] Although the vehicle system 1 described above shows an example mainly applied to a manually driven vehicle by a driver, it may also be applied to an autonomous driving vehicle (driving support) that executes autonomous driving such as ALC (Auto Lane Changing) by the vehicle control device 100 after receiving some instruction from a passenger. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle system 2 equipped with a movement control device. The vehicle system 2 is a system applied to an autonomous driving vehicle. Hereinafter, for the components in the vehicle system 2 that are the same as those in the vehicle system 1, the same names and reference numerals are given, and specific descriptions are omitted. The vehicle system 2 is different from the vehicle system 1 in that it includes a vehicle control device 100A instead of the vehicle control device 100.

[0088] The vehicle control device 100A includes, for example, an external recognition unit 110, a lane change detection unit 120, a contact possibility determination unit 130, a lane change suppression unit 140A, a driver operation detection unit 150, an HMI control unit 170, a storage unit 180, and a driving control unit 190. The vehicle control device 100A is different from the vehicle control device 100 of the vehicle system 1 in that it includes a lane change suppression unit 140A instead of the lane change suppression unit 140 and also includes a driving control unit 190. Therefore, hereinafter, the description will mainly focus on the lane change suppression unit 140A and the driving control unit 190.

[0089] The driving control unit 190 executes, for example, an automatic driving control that automatically controls one or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M. The automatic driving may include various driving supports such as ALC, ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), and LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance System). The automatic driving vehicle equipped with the vehicle system 2 may have part or all of its driving controlled by the driver's manual driving. In the case of automatic driving in the vehicle system 2, a predetermined required task may be imposed on the driver even during the execution of automatic driving. The predetermined task may be, for example, the driver's gripping of the steering wheel. Also, the predetermined task in the case of performing ALC may include the operation of the turn signal switch 36.

[0090] The driving control unit 190 includes, for example, a speed control unit 192 and a steering control unit 194. The speed control unit 192 controls the traveling driving force output device 200 and the brake device 210 to control the speed of the host vehicle M in order to execute automatic driving. The steering control unit 194 controls the steering device 220 to control the steering of the host vehicle M in order to execute automatic driving. Also, the driving control unit 190 may perform speed control and steering control in the lane change suppression control under the control of the lane change suppression unit 140A. Therefore, the lane change suppression unit 140A includes a reaction force control unit 142 and does not include a steering control unit 144. Therefore, even if the vehicle is an automatic driving vehicle as described above, the same effect can be obtained.

[0091] [Other Modification Examples] Even in a situation where the lane change suppression unit 140 or the driving control unit 190 of the above-described embodiment does not detect the start of a lane change, contact avoidance control for avoiding contact between the host vehicle M and an object may be performed. In this case, the lane change suppression unit 140 or the driving control unit 190 performs steering control and speed control of the host vehicle M until the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines that the possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and the object is not high.

[0092] In addition, the driver action detection unit 150 of the embodiment may detect a safety confirmation action by a passenger in the host vehicle M instead of (or in addition to) the action confirmation action by the driver. In this case, the driver action detection unit 150 recognizes a passenger sitting in a seat other than the driver's seat among the images captured by the driver monitoring camera 70 as a passenger, and based on the actions of the recognized passenger such as the line of sight, the direction of the face, and the posture, detects the safety confirmation action of the passenger. The lane change suppression unit 140 can use the safety confirmation action by the driver or the safety confirmation action by the passenger and the operation of the turn signal as a release condition for the lane change suppression control. Thereby, for example, when the driver is driving the host vehicle M in a situation with high driving difficulty, the driver can release the suppression control of the lane change by having the passenger perform a safety confirmation action while concentrating on driving. A situation with high driving difficulty is, for example, a case where there are a predetermined number or more other vehicles around the host vehicle M, a case where the speed of the host vehicle M is a predetermined speed or more, a case where the surrounding visibility is poor (for example, the weather is bad (rain, snow) or at night), etc.

[0093] According to the vehicle control device 100 (an example of a movement control device) of the embodiment described above, a lane change detection unit 120 that detects the start of a lane change of the host vehicle M (an example of a moving body), an external recognition unit 110 (an example of an external information acquisition unit) that acquires external information of the host vehicle M, and based on the external information, a contact possibility determination unit (an example of a determination unit) that determines whether there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the host vehicle M in a predetermined region in the moving direction due to the lane change, and when it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined region, a lane change suppression unit 140 that suppresses the lane change of the host vehicle M, a driver action detection unit (an example of a user action detection unit) that detects a safety confirmation action of the driver (an example of a user) of the host vehicle M, and an operation detection unit 160 that detects the operation of a direction indicator indicating the moving direction of the host vehicle M around, and the lane change suppression unit 140 can release the suppression of the lane change when a safety confirmation action by the driver and the operation of the direction indicator are detected while the lane change of the host vehicle M is being suppressed, thereby ensuring safety during a lane change and executing a lane change according to the driver's intention.

[0094] Further, according to the embodiment, it is possible to reduce the excessive operation of the contact suppression function during a lane change by monitoring the driver's state. Further, according to the embodiment, when either the safety confirmation operation or the turn signal operation is not detected, the suppression of the lane change is continued, so that the suppression of the lane change is easily released, and a situation in which the safety during the lane change is impaired can be suppressed. Further, according to the embodiment, even when both the safety confirmation operation and the turn signal operation are detected, if it is determined that there is a high possibility that an object contacts the host vehicle M, the suppression of the lane change is continued, so that the safety during the lane change can be ensured. Further, according to the embodiment, it is possible to accurately determine whether there is a high possibility of contact based on the relative position and relative speed between the host vehicle M and the object. Further, according to the embodiment, in order to give a notice prompting the execution of the operation that has not been detected among the safety confirmation operation and the turn signal operation, a situation in which the suppression of the lane change continues even though the driver wants to execute the lane change is suppressed, and a lane change according to the driver's intention can be executed.

[0095] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. A storage device storing a program; A hardware processor, and by the hardware processor executing the program stored in the storage device, detect the start of a lane change of the moving body, acquire external information of the moving body, based on the external information, determine whether there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in a predetermined area in the moving direction by the lane change, if it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined area, suppress the lane change of the moving body, detect a safety confirmation operation of a user of the moving body, detect the operation of a direction indicator indicating the moving direction of the moving body around, When a safety confirmation operation by the user and an operation of the direction indicator are detected while suppressing a lane change of the moving body, the suppression of the lane change is released. A movement control device configured as described above.

[0096] As described above, the embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described using the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0097] 1, 2... Vehicle system, 10... Camera, 12... Radar device, 14... LIDAR, 16... Object recognition device, 20... Communication device, 30... HMI, 32... Display unit, 34... Speaker, 36... Turn signal switch, 40... Vehicle sensor, 50... Navigation device, 70... Driver monitoring camera, 80... Driving operator, 100, 100A... Vehicle control device, 110... External recognition unit, 120... Lane change detection unit, 130... Contact possibility determination unit, 140, 140A... Lane change suppression unit, 142... Reaction force control unit, 144, 194... Steering control unit, 150... Driver motion detection unit, 160... Operation detection unit, 170... HMI control unit, 180... Storage unit, 190... Driving control unit, 192... Speed control unit, 200... Travel driving force output device, 210... Brake device, 220... Steering device

Claims

1. A lane change detection unit that detects the start of a lane change from the traveling lane of a moving body to an adjacent lane, An external information acquisition unit that acquires external information of the moving body, A determination unit that determines, based on the external information, whether there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in a predetermined region in the moving direction due to the lane change, A lane change suppression unit that suppresses the lane change operation of the moving body when it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined region, A user operation detection unit that detects a safety confirmation operation of the user of the moving body, An operation detection unit that detects the operation of a direction indicator indicating the moving direction of the moving body around, comprising: The lane change suppression unit suppresses the lane change operation when it is determined by the determination unit that there is an object with a high possibility of contact in the predetermined region at a first time after the operation of the lane change in the lane width direction from the traveling lane of the moving body to the adjacent lane is started, When the safety confirmation operation by the user and the operation of the direction indicator are detected at a second time after the first time while the lane change operation of the moving body is suppressed, and there is no object with a high possibility of contact in the predetermined region, the suppression of the lane change operation is released, Even when the safety confirmation operation by the user and the operation of the direction indicator are detected at the second time, if there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in the predetermined region, the suppression of the lane change is continued, A moving body control device.

2. The lane change suppression unit continues to suppress the lane change operation even when either the safety confirmation operation of the user or the operation of the direction indicator is detected while the lane change operation of the moving body is suppressed, The moving body control device according to Claim 1.

3. The determination unit determines whether there is a high possibility of contact between the moving body and the object based on the relative position and relative speed between the moving body and the object, The moving body control device according to Claim 1 or 2.

4. When neither the safety confirmation operation nor the operation of the turn signal is detected by the lane change suppression unit and the suppression of the lane change operation is continued, a notification control unit is further provided that notifies the user of information prompting the execution of the undetected one. The movement control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. When the user operation detection unit detects a predetermined operation by the user for a predetermined time or more or a predetermined number of times or more, the predetermined operation is detected as a safety confirmation operation. The predetermined operation is at least one of a confirmation operation of a lane change destination of the moving body and a predetermined gesture operation. The movement control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The predetermined operation includes a rearward confirmation operation by the user's turning or a rearward confirmation operation by a mirror provided on the moving body. The movement control device according to claim 5.

7. When the safety confirmation operation by the user and the operation of the turn signal are detected and the suppression of the lane change operation is released, the determination unit is less likely to determine that there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body than when the safety confirmation operation by the user is not detected. The movement control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The suppression of the lane change operation is outputting a force in a direction opposite to the steering operation of the user of the moving body to the adjacent lane to the driving operator of the moving body, or suppressing the steering control of the moving body to the adjacent lane and performing steering control so that a predetermined portion or more of the moving body exists in the traveling lane. The lane change suppression unit continues to suppress the lane change operation until the safety confirmation operation and the operation of the turn signal are detected. The movement control device according to claim 1.

9. The user is the driver of the moving body. The user operation detection unit detects a safety confirmation operation of a passenger other than the driver of the moving body. When a safety confirmation operation and an operation of the turn signal by the passenger are detected while the lane change suppression unit is suppressing the lane change operation of the moving body, the suppression of the lane change operation is released. The movement control device according to claim 1.

10. A computer detects the start of a lane change from the traveling lane of the moving body to an adjacent lane. Obtain the external information of the moving body, Based on the external information, determine whether there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in a predetermined area in the moving direction due to the lane change, When it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined area, suppress the lane change operation of the moving body, Detect the safety confirmation operation of the user of the moving body, Detect the operation of a direction indicator indicating the moving direction of the moving body around, At a first time after the operation of the lane change in the lane width direction from the traveling lane of the moving body to the adjacent lane is started, if it is determined that there is an object with a high possibility of contact in the predetermined area, suppress the lane change operation, In a state where the lane change operation of the moving body is suppressed, if at a second time after the first time, the safety confirmation operation by the user and the operation of the direction indicator are detected, and there is no object with a high possibility of contact in the predetermined area, release the suppression of the lane change operation, At the second time, even if the safety confirmation operation by the user and the operation of the direction indicator are detected, if there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in the predetermined area, continue to suppress the lane change, Moving body control method.

11. Cause a computer to Detect the start of a lane change from the traveling lane of the moving body to the adjacent lane, Obtain the external information of the moving body, Based on the external information, determine whether there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in a predetermined area in the moving direction due to the lane change, When it is determined that the object exists in the predetermined area, suppress the lane change operation of the moving body, Detect the safety confirmation operation of the user of the moving body, Detect the operation of a direction indicator indicating the moving direction of the moving body around, At a first time after the operation of the lane change in the lane width direction from the traveling lane of the moving body to the adjacent lane is started, if it is determined that there is an object with a high possibility of contact in the predetermined area, suppress the lane change operation, When, in a state where the operation of the lane change of the moving body is suppressed, a safety confirmation operation by the user and an operation of the direction indicator are detected at a second time after the first time, and there is no object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in the predetermined area, the suppression of the operation of the lane change is released. When, even when a safety confirmation operation by the user and an operation of the direction indicator are detected at the second time, there is an object with a high possibility of contact with the moving body in the predetermined area, the suppression of the lane change is continued. Program.

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