Control device

Abstract

To provide a control device capable of sufficiently ensuring a surrounding confirmation time in any direction of a lane change and inhibiting a decrease in opportunity for execution of the lane change.SOLUTION: A control device 100 for a vehicle 1 includes: a recognition unit 111 for recognizing a surrounding situation; a lane change determination unit 113 for determining whether lane change control can be executed, on the basis of the surrounding situation; a travel control unit 130 for executing the lane change control when it is determined that the lane change control can be executed; and a notification control unit 124 for providing notification of a start of the lane change control to an occupant when it is determined that the lane change control can be executed. The travel control unit 130 starts the lane change control after a predetermined time elapses from when the notification by the notification control unit 124 is started. The predetermined time is different depending on a direction of a lane change of the vehicle 1 by the lane change control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device capable of executing lane change control for changing the lane on which a moving body is traveling. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants have become more active. To achieve this, efforts are being made to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of driver assistance technologies and autonomous driving technologies. As an example of driver assistance technologies and autonomous driving technologies, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose Auto Lane Change (ALC) technology, which controls lane changes of vehicles partially or fully automatically.

[0003] In automotive lane-changing technology, a period of time (hereinafter also referred to as a "periphery checking period") is sometimes provided for the driver to check the surroundings of the vehicle before changing lanes, taking safety into consideration. The automated driving system described in Patent Document 1 performs control to delay the actual start timing of the lane change from a reference timing according to the driving environment of the vehicle, allowing the driver to check the surroundings of the vehicle during the delay period. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6576492 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5825239 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In conventional lane-changing technology, depending on the direction of lane change, there is a risk that the driver may not be able to fully check the surroundings of the vehicle within the surroundings check time. It may be conceivable to uniformly lengthen the surroundings check time so that the driver can fully check the surroundings of the vehicle regardless of the direction of lane change, but this would reduce the opportunities to change lanes.

[0006] The present invention provides a control device that ensures sufficient time for checking surroundings in any lane change direction and prevents a decrease in opportunities to change lanes, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides A control device capable of executing lane change control for changing the lane in which a moving body is traveling, a recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the moving object; a lane change determination unit that determines whether or not the lane change control is executable based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit; a travel control unit that executes the lane change control when the lane change determination unit determines that the lane change control can be executed; a notification control unit that issues a predetermined notification to a passenger of the vehicle via a notification device mounted on the vehicle; Equipped with the notification control unit notifies an occupant of the moving body that the lane change control will be started when the lane change determination unit determines that the lane change control can be executed; The driving control unit is configured to: When the lane change determination unit determines again that the lane change control can be performed, , start the lane change control, The predetermined time period differs depending on the direction of lane change of the moving object due to the lane change control. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to ensure sufficient time for checking the surroundings in any direction of lane change and to suppress a decrease in opportunities to change lanes. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic diagram of a vehicle 1, which is an embodiment of a moving body. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle system 10 mounted on a vehicle 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a control device 100. FIG. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of lane change operation of vehicle 1 using lane change control, where (A) shows the case where vehicle 1 changes lane to the driver's seat side, and (B) shows the case where vehicle 1 changes lane to the passenger's seat side. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing when the control device 100 executes lane change control. [Figure 6] This is a continuation of the flowchart in Figure 5. [Figure 7] An example of the operation of the vehicle 1 changing lanes to the driver's seat side when there are many other vehicles M2 traveling around the vehicle 1 on the driver's seat side will be shown. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle 1 that is autonomously traveling under fully automatic driving with no occupant seated in the driver's seat 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A control device for a moving body according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the moving body will be described as a four-wheeled vehicle, but it may also be a three-wheeled vehicle or the like.

[0011] <Vehicle> FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a four-wheeled vehicle 1, which is one embodiment of a moving body. The vehicle 1 is, for example, a right-hand drive vehicle, i.e., a driver's seat 2 with a steering wheel 82 provided in front is located on the right side. In the vehicle 1, a passenger seat 3 is located on the opposite side of the driver's seat 2 in the left-right direction (i.e., on the left side), and a rear seat 4 is located behind the driver's seat 2 and passenger seat 3. Note that the vehicle 1 may also be a left-hand drive vehicle, i.e., the driver's seat 2 may be located on the left side and the passenger seat 3 may be located on the right side.

[0012] The vehicle 1 is provided with turn signals 5 on the left side (for example, the front left and rear left) and the right side (for example, the front right and rear right). The turn signals 5 are provided at positions visible from outside the vehicle 1.

[0013] A pair of left and right side mirrors 6 are provided on the sides of the vehicle 1. The side mirrors 6 are provided in positions that allow the occupants of the vehicle 1 (particularly the driver) to see behind and to the sides of the vehicle 1. The side mirrors 6 are configured so that the angle can be adjusted by, for example, the occupant operating an operating unit (not shown).

[0014] <Overall vehicle system configuration> FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle system 10 installed in the vehicle 1. As shown in FIG.

[0015] The vehicle system 10 includes, for example, a camera 11, 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, vehicle sensors 40, a driver monitor camera 50, a navigation device 60, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 70, a driving operator 80, a control device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other by multiplexed communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, serial communication lines, a wireless communication network, etc.

[0016] The camera 11 is a digital camera that uses an imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), etc. The camera 11 is attached to the vehicle 1 at any position.

[0017] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle 1 and detects radio waves reflected by an object (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device 12 is attached to any location on the vehicle 1.

[0018] The LIDAR 14 irradiates the area around the vehicle 1 with light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths similar to light) and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 may be attached to any location on the vehicle 1.

[0019] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on some or all of the detection results of the camera 11, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results of the camera 11, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to the control device 100 as they are.

[0020] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle 1, for example, using a cellular network, a Wi-Fi (registered trademark) network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0021] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupant of the vehicle 1 and accepts input operations by the occupant. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, a speaker, a buzzer, a touch panel, switches, keys, and the like.

[0022] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a speed sensor that detects the traveling speed of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "speed"), an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around the vertical axis, and a direction sensor that detects the direction of the vehicle 1.

[0023] The driver monitor camera 50 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitor camera 50 is attached to any location on the vehicle 1 in a position and orientation that allows it to capture an image of the head of an occupant (hereinafter also referred to as the "driver") sitting in the driver's seat of the vehicle 1 from the front (in an orientation that captures the face). The driver monitor camera 50 may also be attached so that it can capture images of occupants other than those in the driver's seat who are riding in the vehicle 1, in addition to the driver.

[0024] The navigation device 60 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 61, a navigation HMI 62, and a route determination unit 63. The navigation device 60 stores first map information 64 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or a flash memory.

[0025] The GNSS receiver 61 determines the position of the vehicle 1 based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle 1 may be determined or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that uses outputs from the vehicle sensors 40.

[0026] The navigation HMI 62 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 62 may share some or all of its components with the HMI 30 described above.

[0027] The route determination unit 63 determines a route (hereinafter also referred to as a "route on map") from, for example, the position of the vehicle 1 identified by the GNSS receiver 61 (or any input position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 62, by referring to the first map information 64. The first map information 64 is, for example, information that represents road shapes using links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 64 may also include information such as road curvature and POI (Point of Interest) information. The route on map is output to the MPU 70.

[0028] The navigation device 60 may provide route guidance based on the route on the map using the navigation HMI 62. The navigation device 60 may transmit the current position and the destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0029] The MPU 70 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 71, and stores second map information 72 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 71 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 60 into a plurality of blocks (for example, by dividing it into 100 m intervals in the vehicle travel direction), and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 72. The recommended lane determination unit 71 determines, for example, which lane from the left the vehicle should travel in. When there is a branch point on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 71 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle 1 can travel on a reasonable route to the branch point.

[0030] The second map information 72 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 64. The second map information 72 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes or information on lane boundaries. The second map information 72 may also include road information, traffic regulation information, address information, facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 72 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices.

[0031] The driving operators 80 include, for example, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operators in addition to a turn signal lever 81 and a steering wheel 82. The driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to the control device 100 or some or all of the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0032] The winker lever 81 is an operator for turning on (including blinking) or turning off the winker 5. The control device 100 turns on or turns off the winker 5 in response to an operation on the winker lever 81.

[0033] The steering wheel 82 is an operator that accepts steering operations. The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be annular, and may be in the form of an irregular steering wheel, a joystick, buttons, or the like. A steering grip sensor 84 is attached to the steering wheel 82. The steering grip sensor 84 is realized by a capacitance sensor or the like, and outputs a signal to the control device 100 that can detect whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82.

[0034] The control device 100 is a computer that performs overall control of the vehicle 1, and is realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory of the control device 100. Details of the control device 100 will be described later.

[0035] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) for the vehicle to travel to the driving wheels. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, etc., and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU controls the above components according to information input from the control device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0036] Brake device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor in accordance with information input from control device 100 or information input from driving operator 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel.

[0037] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor in accordance with information input from the control device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80 to change the direction of the steered wheels.

[0038] <Control device> 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the control device 100. The control device 100 includes, for example, a first control unit 110 and a second control unit 120.

[0039] The first control unit 110 includes, for example, a recognition unit 111 and an action plan generation unit 112. The first control unit 110, for example, realizes a function based on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and a function based on a pre-given model in parallel.

[0040] The recognition unit 111 recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle 1 based on information input from the camera 11, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. Specifically, the recognition unit 111 recognizes the positions of objects (including other vehicles M1 and M2 described later) around the vehicle 1, and the traveling conditions of the objects, such as their speeds and accelerations.

[0041] The position of the object is recognized and used for control as a position on an absolute coordinate system with the origin being a representative point (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) of the vehicle 1. The position of the object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by an area.

[0042] The "state" of an object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or its "behavioral state" (e.g., whether it is changing lanes or about to do so).

[0043] The recognition unit 111 recognizes, for example, the driving environment in which the vehicle 1 is traveling. For example, the recognition unit 111 recognizes the driving lane of the vehicle 1 by comparing the pattern of road dividing lines (e.g., an arrangement of solid lines and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 72 with the pattern of road dividing lines around the vehicle 1 recognized from an image captured by the camera 11. Note that the recognition unit 111 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including not only road dividing lines but also road dividing lines, shoulders, curbs, medians, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle 1 obtained from the navigation device 60 and the processing results by the INS may be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 111 may also recognize stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena.

[0044] When recognizing the travel lane, the recognition unit 111 recognizes the position and attitude of the vehicle 1 relative to the travel lane. For example, the recognition unit 111 may recognize the deviation of the reference point of the vehicle 1 from the center of the lane and the angle it forms with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 as the relative position and attitude of the vehicle 1 relative to the travel lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 111 may recognize the position of the reference point of the vehicle 1 relative to either side edge of the travel lane (a road dividing line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the vehicle 1 relative to the travel lane.

[0045] The behavior plan generation unit 112 generates a target trajectory along which the vehicle 1 will automatically (i.e., without the driver's operation) travel in the future so that the vehicle 1 will travel along the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 71 and be able to respond to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1.

[0046] The target trajectory includes, for example, a speed element. For example, the target trajectory is expressed as an ordered list of points (trajectory points) that the vehicle 1 should reach. The trajectory points are points that the vehicle 1 should reach at every predetermined travel distance (for example, about several meters) along a road, and separately, the target speed and target acceleration for every predetermined sampling time (for example, about a few tenths of a second) are generated as part of the target trajectory. Furthermore, the trajectory points may be positions that the vehicle 1 should reach at each predetermined sampling time. In this case, the information on the target speed and target acceleration is expressed as the intervals between the trajectory points.

[0047] The behavior plan generation unit 112 may set an autonomous driving event when generating the target trajectory. The autonomous driving events include a constant speed driving event, a low speed following driving event, a lane change event, a branching event, a merging event, a takeover event, etc. The behavior plan generation unit 112 generates a target trajectory according to the activated event.

[0048] For example, the behavior plan generating unit 112 includes a lane change determining unit 113 as a function for setting a lane change event.

[0049] The lane change determination unit 113 determines whether or not lane change control is executable based on the driving environment of the vehicle 1 recognized by the recognition unit 111. The lane change determination unit 113 determines whether or not lane change control is executable based on the driving environment of the vehicle 1, regardless of, for example, an operation by the driver seated in the driver's seat 2 (for example, operation of the turn signal lever 81).

[0050] For example, the lane change determination unit 113 determines whether or not to perform a lane change, which will be described later, when the distance between the vehicle 1 and another vehicle (also referred to as a leading vehicle) traveling in front of the vehicle 1 in the traveling lane becomes equal to or less than a predetermined threshold. Furthermore, when another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to the traveling lane of the vehicle 1 is detected, the lane change determination unit 113 determines whether or not to perform lane change control, which will be described later, based on, for example, the relative speed and the distance between the vehicle 1 and the detected other vehicle.

[0051] When the lane change determination unit 113 determines that lane change control can be executed, the action plan generation unit 112 sets a lane change event and generates a target trajectory corresponding to the lane change event.

[0052] The second control unit 120 controls the vehicle 1 so that it passes through the target trajectory generated by the behavior plan generation unit 112 at the scheduled time. The second control unit 120 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 121, a speed control unit 122, a steering control unit 123, and a notification control unit 124.

[0053] The acquisition unit 121 acquires information on the target trajectory (trajectory points) generated by the behavior plan generation unit 112, and stores it in a memory (not shown).

[0054] The speed control unit 122 controls the traveling driving force output device 200 or the brake device 210 based on the speed element associated with the target trajectory stored in the memory.

[0055] The steering control unit 123 controls the steering device 220 according to the degree of curvature of the target trajectory stored in the memory.

[0056] The processing of the speed control unit 122 and the steering control unit 123 is realized, for example, by a combination of feedforward control and feedback control.

[0057] The notification control unit 124 controls the HMI 30, the navigation HMI 62, etc. to execute various notifications (present various information) to the occupants (e.g., the driver) of the vehicle 1. For example, the notification control unit 124 notifies the occupants of the start of lane change control, or notifies the occupants if the lane change control is to be discontinued midway. The notification of the start of lane change control or the notification of the discontinuation of lane change control is given, for example, by displaying it on a display device such as the HMI 30 or the navigation HMI 62, or by playing a sound from a speaker.

[0058] In the control device 100, for example, the action plan generation unit 112 of the first control unit 110 and the acquisition unit 121, speed control unit 122, and steering control unit 123 of the second control unit 120 combine to form the driving control unit 130. For example, when the lane change determination unit 113 determines that lane change control can be performed, the driving control unit 130 performs lane change control.

[0059] <Lane change control> (Lane change operation) 4A and 4B show an example of lane change operation of the vehicle 1 under lane change control. Fig. 4A shows a case where the vehicle 1 changes lanes to the driver's seat side, and Fig. 4B shows a case where the vehicle 1 changes lanes to the passenger's seat side.

[0060] Here, an example will be described in which the vehicle 1 is autonomously traveling according to the control of the control device 100, without being controlled by the driver seated in the driver's seat 2. In this case, the control device 100 can appropriately execute lane change control to change the lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling, depending on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 recognized by the recognition unit 111, etc.

[0061] The road 300 has a left lane 310, a right lane 320, and a dividing line 330 that serves as a road dividing line and is provided at the boundary between the left lane 310 and the right lane 320. The direction of travel in the left lane 310 and the right lane 320 is from left to right in (A) and (B) of Figure 4.

[0062] Hereinafter, the lane in which vehicle 1 is traveling will also be referred to as "current lane L1." Furthermore, the lane adjacent to current lane L1 will also be referred to as "adjacent lane L2." In FIG. 4A, vehicle 1 is traveling in the left lane 310, so current lane L1 is the left lane 310, and adjacent lane L2 is the right lane 320. On the other hand, in FIG. 4B, vehicle 1 is traveling in the right lane 320, so current lane L1 is the right lane 320, and adjacent lane L2 is the left lane 310.

[0063] 4A will be described first. While the vehicle 1 is traveling in the left lane 310 of the road 300, the control device 100 executes lane change control to overtake the preceding vehicle M1 traveling in the own lane L1 at a slower speed than the vehicle 1.

[0064] Specifically, the lane change determination unit 113 determines whether or not lane change control is executable based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 111.

[0065] When the lane change determination unit 113 determines that lane change control can be executed, the notification control unit 124 notifies the occupant of the vehicle 1 that lane change control will be started via the HMI 30. The notification of the start of lane change control (hereinafter also referred to as lane change control start notification) is, for example, a display on a display device attached to the vehicle 1 or a notification by voice guidance from a speaker. When notifying the start of lane change control, the notification control unit 124 may notify the occupant of the direction of the lane change, in this case, that the lane will be changed toward the driver's seat.

[0066] In addition to the notification of the start of lane change control, the notification control unit 124 also notifies the driver to check the surroundings of the vehicle 1. This prompts the driver to check the surroundings of the vehicle 1 on the driver's seat side. Specifically, the driver checks the side mirror 6 on the driver's seat side or directly checks the side (right side) of the vehicle 1 on the driver's seat side.

[0067] After a time t10 has elapsed since the notification control unit 124 started to notify (i.e., notify the start of lane change control), the control device 100 starts turning on the right blinker 5. This notifies the outside of the vehicle 1 that the vehicle 1 is changing lanes.

[0068] After time t20 has elapsed since the turn signal 5 started to be turned on, the driving control unit 130 starts lane change control to the driver's seat side (right side). As a result, the driving control unit 130 starts steering the vehicle 1, and the vehicle 1 moves laterally.

[0069] The traveling control unit 130 performs steering control so as to complete the lateral movement to the adjacent lane L2 after the time t30 has elapsed since the start of the lane change control, thereby completing the lane change control.

[0070] The above-mentioned times t10, t20, and t30 are times that are stored in advance in the control device 100 by, for example, the manufacturer of the vehicle 1 or the like.

[0071] Here, the time from when notification by the notification control unit 124 starts to when lane change control starts corresponds to the surroundings confirmation time required for the driver to check the surroundings of the vehicle 1. The surroundings confirmation time when changing lanes to the driver's seat side (hereinafter also simply referred to as the surroundings confirmation time on the driver's seat side) is stored in advance in the control device 100 as the total time T1 of the time t10 and the time t20.

[0072] When the driver monitor camera 50 and / or the steering grip sensor 84 detect that the driver is in a state where he or she can check the surroundings within the surroundings check time, lane change control is initiated after the time t20 has elapsed since the turn-on of the turn signal 5, as described above. On the other hand, when it is not detected that the driver is in a state where he or she can check the surroundings within the surroundings check time, the turn signal 5 is turned off and lane change control is not executed. Note that, for example, the lane change control may be initiated based on the driver monitor camera 50 or the like detecting that the driver has checked the surroundings within the surroundings check time.

[0073] As an example, if the time t10 from when notification control unit 124 starts to when turn signal 5 starts to turn on is 1 second, the time t20 from when turn signal 5 starts to turn on to when lane change control starts is 1 second, and the time t30 from when lane change control starts to when lane change control is completed is 6 seconds, the lane change time when changing lanes to the driver's seat side as shown in Figure 4(A) is 8 seconds, which is the total time of times t10, t20, and t30. Also, the surroundings check time on the driver's seat side is 2 seconds, which is the total time T1 of times t10 and t20.

[0074] Next, (B) of FIG. 4 will be described. When changing lanes to the passenger seat side, similarly to the case of changing lanes to the driver's seat side described above, if the lane change determination unit 113 determines that lane change control can be executed, the notification control unit 124 notifies the occupant of the vehicle 1 that lane change control will be started via the HMI 30. In addition to notifying the driver of the start of lane change control, the notification control unit 124 also notifies the driver to check the surroundings of the vehicle 1.

[0075] Here, the side mirror 6 on the passenger side and the side (left) of the vehicle 1 are located farther from the driver's seat than the side mirror 6 on the driver's seat and the side (right) of the vehicle 1. Therefore, the driver has poorer visibility around the vehicle 1 on the passenger side compared to the periphery of the vehicle 1 on the driver's seat side.

[0076] In this way, when changing lanes to the passenger side, visibility around the passenger side is generally poor, so it takes the driver more time to check the surroundings on the passenger side compared to when changing lanes to the driver's side. Therefore, if the surroundings check time when changing lanes to the passenger side (hereinafter simply referred to as the passenger side surroundings check time) is set to the same T1 as the driver's side surroundings check time, there is a risk that the driver will not check the surroundings sufficiently.

[0077] Therefore, in this embodiment, the surroundings confirmation time differs depending on the direction of lane change of the vehicle 1 due to lane change control. This ensures sufficient surroundings confirmation time even when changing lanes to the passenger seat side where visibility is poor.

[0078] Specifically, when changing lanes to the passenger seat side, the time from when the notification control unit 124 starts notifying to when the turn signal 5 starts to turn on is time t11, which is longer than the time t10 when changing lanes to the driver's seat side. Time t11 is a time that is stored in advance in the control device 100 by, for example, the manufacturer of the vehicle 1. The time from when the turn signal 5 starts to turn on to when the lane change control starts is time t20, similar to when changing lanes to the driver's seat side.

[0079] The surroundings confirmation time on the passenger side is the sum of times t11 and t20, T2 (>T1), i.e., the surroundings confirmation time on the passenger side is longer than the surroundings confirmation time on the driver side. In other words, the timing of starting lane change control on the passenger side is delayed compared to the timing of starting lane change control on the driver side.

[0080] The surroundings check time on the passenger seat side is also stored in advance in the control device 100 as the total time T2 of the time t11 and the time t20, similar to the surroundings check time on the driver seat side.

[0081] As an example, if the time t11 from when the notification control unit 124 starts notifying until the turn signal 5 starts to turn on is 2 seconds, the time t20 from when the turn signal 5 starts to turn on until steering starts is 1 second, and the time t30 from when lane change control starts until lane change control is completed is 6 seconds, the lane change time when changing lanes to the passenger side as shown in Fig. 4(B) is 9 seconds, which is the sum of times t11, t20, and t30. Also, the time required to check the surroundings on the passenger side is 3 seconds, which is the sum of times t11 and t20, or T2.

[0082] However, if the surroundings check time is uniformly increased regardless of the direction of the lane change (for example, if the surroundings check time on the driver's seat side is also set to T2), the lane change time when changing lanes toward the driver's seat side will also be increased. If the lane change time is increased, there will be more opportunities to determine that lane change control cannot be performed, and therefore the opportunities to perform lane changes will decrease.

[0083] In this embodiment, the periphery check time differs depending on the direction of lane change of the vehicle 1, so the number of opportunities to execute lane changes increases compared to when the periphery check time is uniformly long regardless of the direction of lane change.

[0084] (Control Flow) Next, an example of processing (also referred to as a control flow) when the control device 100 executes lane change control will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in Figures 5 and 6. When the vehicle 1 is autonomously traveling under the control of the control device 100, the control device 100 repeatedly executes the flowcharts of Figures 5 and 6 at predetermined intervals, for example.

[0085] The control device 100 first determines whether a lane change flag indicating the execution status of lane change control is ON (step S10). If it is determined that the lane change flag is ON (step S10: YES), the control device 100 proceeds to the processing of step S32 described later.

[0086] If it is determined that the lane change flag is OFF (step S10: NO), the control device 100 determines whether or not to change lanes (step S12). For example, the control device 100 determines to change lanes when the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle M1 is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the control device 100 may determine to change lanes when a predetermined condition is met regardless of whether or not the preceding vehicle M1 is present.

[0087] When it is determined that a lane change is not to be performed (step S12: NO), the control device 100 ends the current control flow.

[0088] When it is determined that a lane change is to be performed (step S12: YES), the control device 100 determines whether the direction of the lane change is toward the driver's seat side or the passenger's seat side (step S14).

[0089] When changing lanes to the driver's seat side (step S14: driver's seat side), the surroundings check time is the aforementioned T1 (step S16). When changing lanes to the passenger's seat side (step S14: passenger's seat side), the surroundings check time is the aforementioned T2 (>T1) (step S18). Specifically, the control device 100 refers to the total time T1 of the time t10 and the time t20 or the total time T2 of the time t11 and the time t20, which are stored in advance in the control device 100, and sets the surroundings check time to T1 or T2.

[0090] Next, the control device 100 determines whether or not to execute lane change control based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 111 (step S20). Specifically, as described above, the control device 100 determines whether or not to execute lane change control based on the surrounding conditions including information on other vehicles existing in the own lane L1 and the adjacent lane L2.

[0091] Furthermore, when determining whether or not to execute lane change control, the control device 100 also takes into consideration the lane change time, including the surroundings check time, determined in step S16 or step S18. Specifically, when the control device 100 determines that the lane change can be completed within the determined lane change time, it determines that the lane change control can be executed.

[0092] If it is determined that the lane change control cannot be performed (step S20: NO), the control device 100 ends the current control flow.

[0093] If it is determined that the lane change control can be executed (step S20: YES), the control device 100 turns on the lane change flag (step S22).

[0094] When the lane change flag is turned ON, the control device 100 notifies the occupant that lane change control will be executed via the HMI 30 (step S24). The control device 100 also notifies the driver to check the surroundings of the vehicle 1.

[0095] After the time t10 or t11 has elapsed since the notification control unit 124 started to give a notification, the control device 100 starts turning on the winker 5 (step S26).

[0096] Next, the control device 100 determines whether the driver is in a state where he or she can check the periphery of the vehicle 1 within the periphery check time (step S28).

[0097] If it is determined that the driver is not in a state where he or she can check the surroundings of the vehicle 1 within the surroundings check time (step S28: NO), the control device 100 turns off the turn signal 5 (step S29), turns off the lane change flag (step S30), and then ends the current control flow.

[0098] If it is determined that the driver is in a state where he or she can check the surroundings of the vehicle 1 within the surroundings check time (step S28: YES), after time t20 has elapsed since the turn signal 5 started to light up, the control device 100 determines whether or not to perform lane change control (step S32).

[0099] If it is determined that lane change control cannot be executed (step S32: NO), the control device 100 turns off the turn signal 5 (step S38), sets the lane change flag to OFF (step S40), and ends the current control flow. For example, if the leading vehicle M1 changes lanes to the adjacent lane L2 after the turn signal 5 is turned on, the control device 100 determines that lane change control cannot be executed.

[0100] If it is determined that lane change control can be performed (step S32: YES), the control device 100 performs lane change control (step S34). As a result, the control device 100 starts steering control of the vehicle 1, and the vehicle 1 moves laterally from the current lane L1 to the adjacent lane L2.

[0101] After starting the lane change control, the control device 100 determines whether or not the lane change is completed (step S36). Specifically, the control device 100 determines whether or not the vehicle 1 has moved laterally to the adjacent lane L2.

[0102] When it is determined that the lane change has not been completed (step S36: NO), the control device 100 ends the current control flow and continues to determine whether the lane change has been completed in the next control flow.

[0103] When the lane change is completed (step S36: YES), the control device 100 completes the lane change control. Then, the control device 100 turns off the blinker 5 (step S38), turns off the lane change flag (step S40), and ends the current control flow.

[0104] (periphery check time) The above-mentioned surroundings confirmation time is T1 or T2 pre-stored in the control device 100, but is not limited to this. The surroundings confirmation time may be changed based on at least one of the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1, the status of the occupants or luggage in the vehicle 1, and the specifications of the vehicle 1.

[0105] The surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 are, for example, information recognized by the recognition unit 111, and include traffic information such as the number of other vehicles traveling around the vehicle 1, the number of lanes on the road 300 on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, and the curvature of the road 300. For example, if there are a large number of other vehicles traveling around the vehicle 1, if there are a large number of lanes on the road 300 on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, or if the curvature of the road 300 is large, the visibility around the vehicle 1 is relatively poor, so the surrounding confirmation time may be set long.

[0106] The surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 may also include environmental information such as backlighting, weather, time of day, etc. For example, if there is backlighting from the direction of the lane change, if there is fog around the vehicle 1, or if it is nighttime, the visibility around the vehicle 1 is relatively poor, so the surroundings check time may be set long.

[0107] The status of the occupants or luggage in the vehicle 1 includes, for example, the riding position and number of occupants other than the driver, and the arrangement and amount of luggage loaded in the vehicle 1. These statuses are detected, for example, by a camera (not shown) provided in the vehicle cabin. For example, when an occupant is seated in the passenger seat 3, when there are many occupants in the vehicle 1, or when there is a large amount of luggage loaded in the vehicle 1, visibility around the vehicle 1 is relatively poor, so the surroundings check time may be set long.

[0108] The state of the occupant in the vehicle 1 may also include driving history information of the driver. For example, if the driver has a short driving history, the surroundings check time may be set long.

[0109] The specifications of the vehicle 1 include, for example, information such as the width of the vehicle 1, the position of the seats in the vehicle 1 (for example, the inclination of the passenger seat 3), and the installation state (for example, the angle state) of the side mirrors 6. For example, if the width of the vehicle 1 is large, if the passenger seat 3 of the vehicle 1 is located in a position that obstructs the driver's field of view, or if the side mirrors 6 are facing relatively downward, the visibility around the vehicle 1 is relatively poor, so the surrounding check time may be set long.

[0110] Below, we will explain an example of a configuration in which the surrounding confirmation time changes based on the surrounding conditions of vehicle 1, as a configuration in which the surrounding confirmation time changes based on at least one of the surrounding conditions of vehicle 1, the status of occupants or luggage in vehicle 1, and the specifications of vehicle 1.

[0111] 7 shows an example in which vehicle 1 changes lanes to adjacent lane L2 on the driver's seat side when there are many other vehicles M2 traveling around vehicle 1 on the driver's seat side (i.e., there is heavy traffic). In the example in FIG. 7, there is another lane L3 to the right of adjacent lane L2 on the driver's seat side of vehicle 1, and many other vehicles M2 travel in adjacent lane L2 and lane L3.

[0112] The periphery confirmation time may vary based on the number of other vehicles M2 traveling around the vehicle 1. Specifically, the periphery confirmation time when there are many other vehicles M2 traveling around the vehicle 1 may be set longer than the periphery confirmation time when there are few other vehicles M2 traveling around the vehicle 1.

[0113] 7, the control device 100 sets the surroundings confirmation time on the driver's seat side to T3 (>T1), which is a correction that lengthens the pre-stored T1. By setting the surroundings confirmation time to be long in this way when traffic volume is heavy, the driver can sufficiently check the surroundings on the driver's seat side.

[0114] Here, the surroundings check time on the driver's seat side may be set to be longer than the surroundings check time on the passenger's seat side. That is, T3 newly set as the surroundings check time on the driver's seat side may be longer than T2 previously stored as the surroundings check time on the passenger's seat side.

[0115] In addition, if there are many other vehicles M2 traveling around the vehicle 1 on the passenger side, the passenger side surroundings confirmation time may be set to a pre-stored T2 that has been corrected to be longer.

[0116] <<Variation>> In the above-described embodiment, the surroundings check time on the passenger seat side is set longer than the surroundings check time on the driver seat side, assuming that the driver is seated in the driver's seat 2. However, when the vehicle 1 is traveling autonomously in fully automated driving mode, for example, it is possible that no one is seated in the driver's seat 2 when lane change control is executed.

[0117] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle 1 that is traveling autonomously under fully automated driving without an occupant sitting in the driver's seat 2. The vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 8 is configured so that, for example, an occupant can move between the driver's seat 2 and the rear seat 4 within the vehicle cabin. In addition, an operation unit 9 is provided in front of the left rear seat 4L of the rear seats 4, which allows the occupant to perform predetermined operations related to the traveling of the vehicle 1. The occupant is seated in the left rear seat 4L, and can operate the operation unit 9 to, for example, stop the execution of lane change control.

[0118] In such a case, when an occupant sitting in the left rear seat 4L checks the periphery of the vehicle 1, the visibility on the opposite side (right side) from the occupant's seating side is worse than the visibility on the occupant's seating side (left side). Therefore, in the modified example, the lane change control described above is configured so that the periphery check time when the vehicle 1 changes lanes in the direction opposite the occupant's seating side (rightward) is longer than the periphery check time when the vehicle 1 changes lanes in the direction opposite the occupant's seating side (leftward) than the periphery check time when the vehicle 1 changes lanes in the direction toward the occupant's seating side (leftward). For example, the control device 100 sets the periphery check time when the vehicle 1 changes lanes to the right to T2, and sets the periphery check time when the vehicle 1 changes lanes to the left to T1. This ensures sufficient periphery check time.

[0119] Then, for example, when it is determined based on the detection results of the driver monitor camera 50 or the like that the occupant is in a state where he or she can check the surroundings within the surroundings check time, the control device 100 starts lane change control. Alternatively, the control device 100 may be configured to start lane change control when it is determined based on the detection results of the driver monitor camera 50 or the like that the occupant has checked the surroundings of the vehicle 1. Note that, when the occupant checks the surroundings of the vehicle 1 and determines that the lane change control should be stopped, the occupant operates the operation unit 9 to stop the execution of the lane change control.

[0120] Although one embodiment and modifications of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0121] In the above-described embodiment, the time t11 when changing lanes to the passenger seat side is set longer than the time t10 when changing lanes to the driver seat side, thereby making the surroundings check time on the passenger seat side longer than the surroundings check time on the driver seat side, but this is not limited to this. For example, the time from when the turn signal 5 starts to turn on when changing lanes to the passenger seat side to when lane change control starts may be set longer than the time t20 when changing lanes to the driver seat side, thereby making the surroundings check time on the passenger seat side longer than the surroundings check time on the driver seat side.

[0122] In the above-described embodiment, the periphery checking time is the time from the notification of the start of lane change control to the start of lane change control, but this is not limited to this. For example, the periphery checking time may be the time from when the notification control unit 124 starts notification to when the turn signal 5 starts to light up.

[0123] In the above-described embodiment, the surroundings confirmation time on the driver's seat side and the surroundings confirmation time on the passenger's seat side were T1 and T2, respectively, which were pre-stored in the control device 100, but this is not limited to this and the time may be variably set according to the wishes of the occupants.

[0124] This specification describes at least the following: In parentheses, components corresponding to those in the above-described embodiments are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0125] (1) A control device (control device 100) capable of executing lane change control to change the lane in which a moving body (vehicle 1) is traveling, a recognition unit (recognition unit 111) that recognizes the surrounding situation of the moving object; a lane change determination unit (lane change determination unit 113) that determines whether or not the lane change control can be performed based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit; a driving control unit (driving control unit 130) that executes the lane change control when the lane change determination unit determines that the lane change control can be executed; a notification control unit (notification control unit 124) that issues a predetermined notification to an occupant of the vehicle via a notification device (HMI 30, navigation HMI 62) mounted on the vehicle; Equipped with the notification control unit notifies an occupant of the moving body that the lane change control will be started when the lane change determination unit determines that the lane change control can be executed; the driving control unit starts the lane change control after a predetermined time has elapsed since the notification control unit started the notification; the predetermined time period differs depending on the direction of lane change of the moving object due to the lane change control; Control device.

[0126] If the occupant's surroundings confirmation time is uniform regardless of the direction of lane change of the moving body, there is a risk that the occupant may not be able to check the surroundings sufficiently before starting steering depending on the direction of lane change. According to (1), the timing of starting lane change control differs depending on the direction of lane change, so sufficient surroundings confirmation time can be ensured regardless of the direction of lane change. Furthermore, compared to when the surroundings confirmation time is uniformly long regardless of the direction of lane change, a decrease in opportunities to execute lane changes can be suppressed.

[0127] (2) The control device according to (1), the predetermined time when the moving object changes lanes in a first direction, which is one of the left and right directions, by the lane change control is longer than the predetermined time when the moving object changes lanes in a second direction, which is the other of the left and right directions; Control device.

[0128] According to (2), the timing of starting lane change control in either the left or right direction can be delayed, ensuring sufficient time to check the surroundings.

[0129] (3) The control device according to (2), When the occupant checks the surroundings of the moving body, the visibility in the first direction is worse than the visibility in the second direction. Control device.

[0130] According to (3), the timing of starting lane change control in a direction with poor visibility can be delayed, and sufficient time can be secured to check the surroundings.

[0131] (4) The control device according to (3), The first direction is a direction opposite to a riding side of the occupant who can operate the movement of the moving body in the left-right direction. Control device.

[0132] According to (4), when changing lanes in the direction opposite to the passenger side of the vehicle, where the passenger can control the movement of the vehicle, visibility in the direction of the lane change is relatively poor. Therefore, by delaying the timing of starting lane change control compared to when changing lanes toward the passenger side, sufficient time can be ensured to check the surroundings.

[0133] (5) The control device according to (4), The first direction is a direction opposite to a driver's seat (passenger seat side) of the moving body in the left-right direction. Control device.

[0134] According to (5), when changing lanes in the direction opposite to the driver's seat, visibility around the moving body is relatively poor, so by delaying the timing of starting lane change control compared to when changing lanes toward the driver's seat, sufficient time can be secured to check the surroundings.

[0135] (6) The control device according to any one of (1) to (5), the predetermined time period varies based on at least one of the surrounding conditions, the state of an occupant or luggage in the moving body, and specifications of the moving body. Control device.

[0136] According to (6), the surrounding confirmation time can be variably set based on the surrounding situation, the state of the occupants or luggage in the moving body, and the specifications of the moving body.

[0137] (7) The control device according to any one of (1) to (6), When it is determined that the occupant is in a state where he or she can check the surroundings of the moving body within the predetermined time, the lane change control is started. Control device.

[0138] According to (7), lane change control is initiated in a state where the occupant can check the surroundings of the moving body, so that safer lane change control can be executed.

[0139] (8) The control device according to any one of (1) to (7), The predetermined time is a time from when the notification control unit starts the notification to when the lane change control is started, or a time from when the notification control unit starts the notification to when a notification of the execution of the lane change control to an outside of the moving body (turning on of the turn signal 5) is started. Control device.

[0140] According to (8), the predetermined time can be appropriately determined.

[0141] (9) The control device according to any one of (1) to (8), The predetermined notification by the notification control unit includes at least one of a display by a display device (a display device of the HMI 30 or the navigation HMI 62) mounted on the moving body and a voice guidance by a voice output device (a speaker of the HMI 30 or the navigation HMI 62) mounted on the moving body. Control device.

[0142] According to (9), a predetermined notification (for example, that lane change control is about to start) can be given to the occupant by display and / or sound. [Explanation of symbols]

[0143] 1. Vehicle (moving object) 30 HMI (notification device) 62 Navigation HMI (notification device) 100 control device 111 Recognition part 113 Lane change judgment unit 124 Notification control section 130 Travel control unit

Claims

1. A control device capable of executing lane change control for changing the lane in which a moving body is traveling, a recognition unit that recognizes a surrounding situation of the moving object; a lane change determination unit that determines whether or not the lane change control is executable based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit; a travel control unit that executes the lane change control when the lane change determination unit determines that the lane change control can be executed; a notification control unit that issues a predetermined notification to a passenger of the vehicle via a notification device mounted on the vehicle; Equipped with the notification control unit notifies an occupant of the moving body that the lane change control will be started when the lane change determination unit determines that the lane change control can be executed; the driving control unit starts the lane change control when the lane change determination unit determines again that the lane change control can be performed after a predetermined time has elapsed since the notification control unit started the notification, and the predetermined time period differs depending on the direction of lane change of the moving object due to the lane change control; Control device.

2. The control device according to claim 1, the predetermined time when the moving object changes lanes in a first direction, which is one of the left and right directions, by the lane change control is longer than the predetermined time when the moving object changes lanes in a second direction, which is the other of the left and right directions; Control device.

3. The control device according to claim 2, When the occupant checks the surroundings of the moving body, visibility in the first direction is worse than visibility in the second direction. Control device.

4. The control device according to claim 3, the first direction is a direction in the left-right direction opposite to a riding side of the occupant who can operate the movement of the moving body, Control device.

5. The control device according to claim 4, The first direction is a direction opposite to a driver's seat of the moving body in the left-right direction. Control device.

6. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the predetermined time period varies based on at least one of the surrounding conditions, the state of an occupant or luggage in the moving body, and specifications of the moving body. Control device.

7. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the traveling control unit starts the lane change control when it is determined that the occupant is in a state where he or she can check the surroundings of the moving body within the predetermined time. Control device.

8. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The predetermined time is a time from when the notification control unit starts the notification to when the lane change control is started, or a time from when the notification control unit starts the notification to when a notification of the execution of the lane change control to an outside of the moving body is started. Control device.

9. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The predetermined notification by the notification control unit includes at least one of a display by a display device mounted on the moving body and a voice guidance by a voice output device mounted on the moving body. Control device.

Images