Driving assistance method and driving assistance device

Abstract

Provided is a driving assistance method and a driving assistance device (19) that, in a case in which another vehicle that is traveling beside a host vehicle (V1) has been detected and when it is determined that the position of the other vehicle (V2) is in an edge portion (C3, C4) of a detection range of an imaging device (11) or will enter the edge portion (C3, C4) within a predetermined time, perform autonomous control of travel of the host vehicle (V1) so that the position of the other vehicle (V2) is not included in the edge portion (C3, C4) of the detection range.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance method and a driving assistance device. [Background technology]

[0002] A surround view system for a vehicle is known that generates a three-dimensional model of the vehicle's surrounding environment based on vehicle surrounding environment data and maps visual data to each part of the three-dimensional model, thereby reducing distortion in the generated virtual surround view (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-200781 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The process of mapping the visual data onto a 3D model places a heavy load on the processing unit. Therefore, the conventional technology cannot adequately reduce distortion in the virtual surround view in driving scenes where the surrounding conditions of the vehicle change from moment to moment, and therefore cannot accurately recognize the driving conditions of other vehicles around the vehicle. As a result, unnecessary avoidance maneuvers are performed based on the misidentified driving conditions of other vehicles, disrupting the behavior of the vehicle.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a driving assistance method and a driving assistance device that can suppress the influence of erroneous recognition of the driving state of another vehicle on the driving state of the subject vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention solves the above problem by autonomously controlling the driving of the vehicle so that the position of the other vehicle is not included in the edge of the detection range when another vehicle traveling beside the vehicle is detected and it is determined that the other vehicle is at the edge of the detection range of the imaging device or will enter the edge within a predetermined time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the influence of erroneous recognition of the driving state of another vehicle on the driving state of the own vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a driving assistance system including a driving assistance device according to the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the imaging device of FIG. [Figure 3A] 3 is a plan view (part 1) showing an example of a result of detection of another vehicle by the imaging device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 3B] 3 is a plan view (part 2) showing an example of a result of detection of another vehicle by the imaging device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4A] 2 is a plan view (part 1) showing an example of a driving scene in which driving assistance is performed by the driving assistance system shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4B] 2 is a plan view showing an example of a driving scene in which driving assistance is performed by the driving assistance system shown in FIG. 1 (part 2). FIG. [Figure 4C] 3 is a plan view showing an example of a driving scene in which driving assistance is performed by the driving assistance system shown in FIG. 1 (part 3). FIG. [Figure 5] 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another example of a driving scene in which driving assistance is performed by the driving assistance system shown in FIG. [Figure 6A] 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view (part 1) showing still another example of a driving scene in which driving assistance is performed by the driving assistance system shown in FIG. [Figure 6B] 1. FIG. 5 is a plan view (part 2) showing still another example of a driving scene in which driving assistance is performed by the driving assistance system shown in FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a processing procedure in the driving assistance system of FIG. 1. [Figure 8] 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a subroutine of step S6 in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] 8 is a flowchart showing another example of the subroutine of step S6 in FIG. 7. [Figure 10] 8 is a flowchart showing still another example of the subroutine of step S6 in FIG. 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The following description is based on the assumption that vehicles are driven on the left side of the road in countries with laws stipulating left-hand traffic. In countries with laws stipulating right-hand traffic, vehicles are driven on the right side of the road, so the terms right and left in the following description should be interpreted as symmetrical.

[0010] [Driver assistance system configuration] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a driving assistance system 10 according to the present invention. The driving assistance system 10 is an in-vehicle system that drives a vehicle to a destination set by the vehicle's occupants (including the driver) through autonomous driving control. Autonomous driving control refers to autonomously controlling the vehicle's driving operations using a driving assistance device (described later), and such driving operations include all driving operations such as acceleration, deceleration, starting, stopping, steering to the right or left, changing lanes, and pulling over. Furthermore, autonomously controlling driving operations refers to the driving assistance device controlling the driving operations using a device in the vehicle. The driving assistance device controls these driving operations within a predetermined range, and driving operations that are not controlled by the driving assistance device are manually operated by the driver.

[0011] 1, a driving assistance system 10 includes an imaging device 11, a distance measuring device 12, a vehicle state detection device 13, map information 14, a vehicle position detection device 15, a navigation device 16, a vehicle control device 17, a display device 18, and a driving assistance device 19. The devices that make up the driving assistance system 10 are connected by a CAN (Controller Area Network) or other in-vehicle LAN, and can exchange information with each other.

[0012] The imaging device 11 is a device that recognizes objects around the vehicle using images, and is, for example, a camera equipped with an imaging element such as a CCD, an ultrasonic camera, or an infrared camera. A single vehicle can be provided with multiple imaging devices 11, and they can be located, for example, near the front grille, under the left and right door mirrors, and near the rear bumper. This reduces blind spots when recognizing objects around the vehicle.

[0013] The distance measuring device 12 is a device for calculating the relative distance and relative speed between the vehicle and an object, and is, for example, a radar device or sonar such as a laser radar, a millimeter wave radar (such as LRF), a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) unit, or an ultrasonic radar. A plurality of distance measuring devices 12 can be provided on one vehicle, and can be arranged, for example, at the front, right side, left side, and rear of the vehicle. This allows the relative distance and relative speed between the vehicle and objects around it to be accurately calculated.

[0014] The objects detected by the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 include road lane boundaries, center lines, road markings, medians, guardrails, curbs, highway sidewalls, road signs, traffic lights, crosswalks, construction sites, accident sites, traffic restrictions, etc. The objects also include obstacles that may affect the vehicle's travel, such as automobiles (other vehicles) other than the vehicle itself, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc. The detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 are acquired by the driving assistance device 19 at predetermined time intervals as needed. The predetermined time intervals can be set to an appropriate value depending on the processing capacity of the driving assistance device 19.

[0015] Furthermore, the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 can be integrated or synthesized (so-called sensor fusion) by the driving assistance device 19, thereby supplementing missing information about the detected object. For example, the driving assistance device 19 can calculate the position information of the object based on the self-position information, which indicates the position where the vehicle is traveling and is acquired by the vehicle position detection device 15, and the relative position (distance and direction) between the vehicle and the object. The calculated position information of the object is integrated by the driving assistance device 19 with multiple pieces of information, such as the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 and the map information 14, to become information about the driving environment around the vehicle. Furthermore, the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 and the map information 14 can be used to recognize objects around the vehicle and predict their movements.

[0016] The vehicle state detection device 13 is a device for detecting the running state of the vehicle, and includes a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor (e.g., a gyro sensor), a steering angle sensor, an inertial measurement unit, etc. These devices are not particularly limited, and known devices can be used. The arrangement and number of these devices can be set appropriately within a range that allows the running state of the vehicle to be appropriately detected. The detection results of each device are acquired by the driving assistance device 19 at predetermined time intervals as necessary.

[0017] Map information 14 is information used for generating driving routes, controlling driving behavior, etc., and includes road information, facility information, and their attribute information. Road information and road attribute information include information such as road width, road curvature radius, roadside structures, road traffic regulations (speed limits, whether lane changes are permitted), road merging and branching points, and locations where the number of lanes increases or decreases. Map information 14 is high-definition map information that allows the movement trajectory of each lane to be grasped, and includes two-dimensional and / or three-dimensional position information at each map coordinate, road / lane boundary information at each map coordinate, road attribute information, lane incline / decline information, lane identification information, and destination lane information. Note that high-precision maps are also called HD (High-Definition) maps.

[0018] Road and lane boundary information in high-resolution map information is information that indicates the boundaries between the lane on which a vehicle travels and other roads. A lane on which a vehicle travels is a road along which the vehicle travels, and the form of the lane is not particularly limited. Boundaries exist on both the left and right sides of the vehicle's direction of travel, and the form is not particularly limited. Boundaries are, for example, road markings or road structures. Examples of road markings include lane boundaries and center lines, and examples of road structures include medians, guardrails, curbs, tunnels, and highway sidewalls. Note that at points where lane boundaries cannot be clearly identified, such as within intersections, boundaries are set for the lane in advance. These boundaries are imaginary and are not actually existing road markings or road structures.

[0019] The map information 14 is stored in a readable state in a recording medium provided in the driving assistance device 19, an in-vehicle device, or a server on a network. The driving assistance device 19 acquires the map information 14 as needed.

[0020] The vehicle position detection device 15 is a positioning system for detecting the current position of the vehicle, and is not particularly limited, and any known system can be used. The vehicle position detection device 15 calculates the current position of the vehicle from, for example, radio waves received from a satellite for a GPS (Global Positioning System). Alternatively, the vehicle position detection device 15 may estimate the current position of the vehicle from vehicle speed information and acceleration information acquired from the vehicle state detection device 13, which includes a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor, and compare the estimated current position with the map information 14 to calculate the current position of the vehicle.

[0021] The navigation device 16 is a device that refers to map information 14 and calculates a driving route from the current position of the vehicle detected by the vehicle position detection device 15 to a destination set by the occupants (including the driver). The navigation device 16 searches for a driving route for the vehicle to reach the destination from the current position using road information, facility information, etc. in the map information 14. The driving route includes at least information on the road on which the vehicle is traveling, the driving lane, and the vehicle's traveling direction, and is displayed, for example, as a linear diagram. There may be multiple driving routes depending on the search conditions. The driving route calculated by the navigation device 16 is output to the driving assistance device 19.

[0022] The vehicle control device 17 is an on-board computer such as an electronic control unit (ECU), and electronically controls on-board devices that govern the driving of the vehicle. The vehicle control device 17 includes a vehicle speed control device 171 that controls the vehicle speed, and a steering control device 172 that controls the steering operation of the vehicle. The vehicle speed control device 171 and the steering control device 172 autonomously control the operation of these drive devices and steering devices in response to control signals input from the driving assistance device 19. This allows the vehicle to travel autonomously along a set driving route. Information required for autonomous control by the vehicle speed control device 171 and the steering control device 172, such as the vehicle speed, acceleration, steering angle, and attitude, is obtained from the host vehicle state detection device 13.

[0023] Examples of the drive devices controlled by the vehicle speed control device 171 include an electric motor and / or an internal combustion engine that are drive sources for traveling, a power transmission device including a drive shaft and an automatic transmission that transmits the output from these drive sources for traveling to the drive wheels, and a drive device that controls the power transmission device. In addition, examples of the braking device controlled by the vehicle speed control device 171 include a braking device that brakes the wheels. A control signal corresponding to a set vehicle speed is input from the driving assistance device 19 to the vehicle speed control device 171. The vehicle speed control device 171 generates signals to control these drive devices based on the control signals input from the driving assistance device 19 and transmits the signals to the drive devices, thereby autonomously controlling the vehicle speed of the vehicle.

[0024] On the other hand, the steering device controlled by the steering control device 172 is a steering device that controls the steered wheels according to the rotation angle of the steering wheel, and an example of this is a steering actuator such as a motor attached to a steering column shaft. Based on a control signal input from the driving assistance device 19, the steering control device 172 autonomously controls the operation of the steering device so that the vehicle travels while maintaining a predetermined lateral position (position of the vehicle in the left-right direction) with respect to the set travel route. For this control, at least one of the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12, the vehicle travel state acquired by the host vehicle state detection device 13, the map information 14, and information on the current position of the vehicle acquired by the host vehicle position detection device 15 is used.

[0025] The display device 18 is a device for providing necessary information to vehicle occupants, and is, for example, a liquid crystal display provided on the instrument panel, a projector such as a head-up display (HUD), etc. The display device 18 may also include an input device for the vehicle occupant to input instructions to the driving assistance device 19. Examples of the input device include a touch panel that receives input by the user's finger or a stylus pen, a microphone that receives instructions by the user's voice, and switches attached to the steering wheel of the vehicle. The display device 18 may also include a speaker as an output device.

[0026] The driving assistance device 19 is a device that controls the driving of the vehicle by controlling and cooperating with the devices that make up the driving assistance system 10, and drives the vehicle to a set destination. The destination is set, for example, by a vehicle occupant. The driving assistance device 19 is, for example, a computer, and includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 191 that is a processor, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 192 that stores programs, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 193 that functions as an accessible storage device. The CPU 191 is an operating circuit that executes the programs stored in the ROM 192 and realizes the functions of the driving assistance device 19.

[0027] The driving assistance device 19 has a driving assistance function of driving the vehicle to a set destination by autonomous driving control. The driving assistance functions of the driving assistance device 19 include a route generation function of generating a driving route, an environment recognition function of recognizing the driving environment around the vehicle, a determination function of making a determination necessary for executing autonomous driving control based on the recognized driving environment, and a driving control function of generating a driving trajectory and driving the vehicle along the driving trajectory. The programs stored in the ROM 192 include programs for realizing these functions, and the CPU 191 executes the programs stored in the ROM 192 to realize these functions. FIG. 1 shows functional blocks that realize each function, extracted for convenience.

[0028] [Functions of each function block] The functions of the respective functional blocks of the support unit 20, the recognition unit 21, the determination unit 22, and the control unit 23 shown in FIG. 1 will be described below.

[0029] The assistance unit 20 has a driving assistance function that drives the vehicle to a set destination through autonomous driving control. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a driving scene in which the driving assistance device 19 autonomously controls the driving of the vehicle through the driving assistance function. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 2, a three-lane road extends in the vertical direction of the drawing, and the vehicle travels on the road from the bottom to the top of the drawing. As shown in FIG. 2, the lanes are designated as lanes L1, L2, and L3 in order from the left lane in the driving direction. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 2, the host vehicle V1 is traveling at position P1 on lane L2 and is traveling straight toward a destination (not shown) ahead that has been set by the occupant of the host vehicle V1.

[0030] The recognition unit 21 has an environment recognition function that recognizes the driving environment around the vehicle. The driving assistance device 19 recognizes the driving environment around the vehicle using the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12 through the environment recognition function of the recognition unit 21. The driving environment is information for determining whether the vehicle can maintain its current driving state or needs to change its driving state, and includes information such as the type and position of an object, the type and position of an obstacle if present, road conditions such as road surface conditions, and weather. The driving assistance device 19 recognizes the driving environment by performing appropriate processing such as pattern matching and sensor fusion on the detection results of the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12.

[0031] The imaging device 11 is composed of multiple imaging devices 11. For example, the host vehicle V1 shown in Fig. 2 is equipped with a front camera that detects obstacles present within a detection range A1 in front of the host vehicle V1 and a rear camera that detects obstacles present within a detection range A2 behind the host vehicle V1. In addition, the host vehicle V1 is equipped with a front wide-angle camera that detects obstacles present within a detection range B1 in front of the host vehicle V1, a rear wide-angle camera that detects obstacles present within a detection range B2 behind the host vehicle V1, a left wide-angle camera that detects obstacles present within a detection range B3 on the left side of the host vehicle V1, and a right wide-angle camera that detects obstacles present within a detection range B4 on the right side of the host vehicle V1.

[0032] Because the wide-angle camera has a wide-angle lens, it has a wider angle of view and a shorter focal length than a normal camera. Therefore, the detection range B1 of the front wide-angle camera is shorter in distance along the lane L2 than the detection range A1 of the front camera, and has a wider angle of view in the width direction of the lane L2. Similarly, the detection range B2 of the rear wide-angle camera is shorter in distance along the lane L2 than the detection range A2 of the rear camera, and has a wider angle of view in the width direction of the lane L2. The angle of view is the range that can be captured by the imaging device 11 (i.e., the detection range) expressed in degrees. For example, the angle centered on the imaging device 11 indicates the horizontal detection range of the imaging device 11.

[0033] The driving assistance device 19 uses the function of the recognition unit 21 to integrate and process the detection results of the front wide-angle camera, rear wide-angle camera, left side wide-angle camera, and right side wide-angle camera by sensor fusion, and thoroughly detects obstacles present around the vehicle V1. These wide-angle cameras are arranged so that part of the detection ranges of adjacent cameras overlap (for example, a range of about 10 to 15% of the angle of view from the horizontal end of the detection range) so that there are no blind spots around the vehicle V1 where obstacles cannot be detected.

[0034] The detection ranges of adjacent cameras overlap at the edges of the angle of view of the imaging device 11 within the detection range. The edges of the angle of view refer, for example, to a range of 10 to 15% of the angle of view from the horizontal edge of the detection range. As an example of the edges of the detection range, FIG. 2 shows edges C1 to C4 of the detection range of each camera. Edges C1 and C3 are edges of detection range B1, and edges C2 and C4 are edges of detection range B2. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 2, edges C1 and C2 overlap with the edge of detection range B3, and edges C3 and C4 overlap with the edge of detection range B4. It is known that the state of an obstacle cannot be accurately detected at these edges C1, C2, C3, and C4. This is because the shape of an obstacle photographed at the edges of the angle of view of a wide-angle lens is distorted due to the characteristics of the lens.

[0035] Detection of an obstacle at the edge of the detection range will be described with reference to Figures 3A and 3B. Figure 3A is a plan view showing the driving scene shown in Figure 2 in which another vehicle V2 is driving on lane L3. In the driving scene shown in Figure 3A, the other vehicle V2 is driving at position Q1 on lane L3, and the vehicle speed of the other vehicle V2 is assumed to be faster than the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1. In other words, the other vehicle V2 travels straight from position Q1 to position Q2 along the driving trajectory U1 and overtakes the host vehicle V1. Note that positions Q1 and Q2 are relative positions with respect to position P1.

[0036] 3A and 3B, for the sake of explanation, only the ends C1, C2, C3, and C4 shown in Fig. 2 are shown within the detection range of the imaging device 11, but this does not mean that obstacles are not detected in other detection ranges, and obstacles are also detected in detection ranges not shown in Fig. 3A and 3B. The same applies to Fig. 4A to 4C, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6A to 6B, which will be described later.

[0037] It is known that obstacles are recognized as being closer at the ends of the detection range of the imaging device 11 than at other parts. Therefore, in the driving scene shown in Fig. 3A, the driving assistance device 19 recognizes that the other vehicle V2 travels from position Q1 to position Q2 along the travel trajectory Ux shown in Fig. 3B. In other words, the driving assistance device 19 erroneously recognizes that the other vehicle V2 traveling straight along the travel trajectory U1 is meandering along the travel trajectory Ux and approaching the host vehicle V1 at ends C3 and C4.

[0038] In this case, the driving assistance device 19 may mistakenly predict that the other vehicle V2 will travel along the travel trajectory Uy and approach the host vehicle V1, and may perform evasive action to avoid the other vehicle V2. That is, when the other vehicle V2 traveling straight approaches from behind, the driving assistance device 19 may decelerate the host vehicle V1 using the vehicle speed control device 171 or change the host vehicle V1 from lane L2 to lane L1 using the steering control device 172. Such an evasive action is actually an unnecessary driving action to avoid the other vehicle V2 traveling straight, and the driving action disrupts the behavior of the host vehicle V1 and causes discomfort to the occupants of the host vehicle V1.

[0039] Therefore, in order to suppress the influence of the erroneously recognized driving state of the other vehicle V2 on the driving state of the own vehicle V1, the driving assistance device 19 of this embodiment autonomously controls the driving of the own vehicle V1 so that the position of the other vehicle V2 is not included in the edge of the detection range of the imaging device 11.

[0040] FIG. 4A is a plan view showing an example of a driving scene in which autonomous driving control is performed by the driving assistance device 19 of this embodiment. The driving scene shown in FIG. 4A is a driving scene in which the host vehicle V1 and other vehicles V3 and V4 are traveling on the road shown in FIG. 2, where the host vehicle V1 is traveling at position P2 on lane L2, the other vehicle V3 is traveling at position Q3 on lane L3, and the other vehicle V4 is traveling at position Q4 on lane L3. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A, the host vehicle V1 is traveling at a constant speed by lane keeping control, and the other vehicles V3 and V4 are traveling straight at the same vehicle speed as the host vehicle V1. As shown in FIG. 4A, the position Q3 of the other vehicle V3 is included in the range of edge C3, and the position Q4 of the other vehicle V4 is included in the range of edge C4. Below, functions performed by the recognition unit 21, the determination unit 22, and the control unit 23 of this embodiment in the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A will be described.

[0041] The recognition unit 21 has a function of detecting other vehicles traveling to the side of the host vehicle V1 using the imaging device 11. The side of the host vehicle V1 refers to, for example, the detection range of the imaging device 11 installed on the left side of the host vehicle V1 and the detection range of the imaging device 11 installed on the right side. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A, the detection ranges B3 and B4 shown in FIG. 2 are the side of the host vehicle V1. Alternatively, the side of the host vehicle V1 may be the range of the adjacent lane to the host vehicle V1 in which the host vehicle V1 is traveling and the adjacent lane next to the adjacent lane, in which an obstacle can be detected using the detection device of the host vehicle V1 (for example, the imaging device 11 and the distance measuring device 12).

[0042] Another vehicle traveling beside the host vehicle V1 is, for example, another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane or the lane next to it. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A, the driving assistance device 19 recognizes the other vehicles V3 and V4 traveling in the adjacent lane, lane L3, using the image capture device 11 and the distance measurement device 12 through the function of the recognition unit 21. The positions of the other vehicles V3 and V4 are recognized by combining the detection results of the image capture device 11 and the distance measurement device 12 (by sensor fusion). In the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A, when the host vehicle V1 is traveling in lane L2, lane L2 is the host vehicle's lane, and lanes L1 and L3 are adjacent lanes. Furthermore, when the host vehicle V1 is traveling in lane L1, lane L2 is the adjacent lane, and lane L3 is the next-to-adjacent lane.

[0043] The determination unit 22 has a determination function of determining whether the other vehicle is at an edge of the detection range of the image capture device 11 or will enter the edge within a predetermined time. The driving assistance device 19 determines, by the function of the determination unit 22, whether the other vehicle is at an edge of the detection range of the image capture device 11, based on the driving environment information around the host vehicle V1 acquired by the function of the recognition unit 21. Alternatively or in addition to this, the driving assistance device 19 may determine whether the other vehicle is going to enter the edge within a predetermined time.

[0044] When determining whether the position of another vehicle is at the end of the detection range, the driving assistance device 19 determines whether the position of the detected other vehicle is included in the end of the detection range of the image capture device 11. The end of the detection range is defined when the image capture device 11 is installed, and therefore the range of the end is registered in advance in the ROM 192 of the driving assistance device 19, etc. Therefore, the driving assistance device 19 detects the position of the other vehicle and determines whether the position of the other vehicle is included in the end of the registered detection range. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A , the position Q3 of the other vehicle V3 is included in the range of the end C3, and the position Q4 of the other vehicle V4 is included in the range of the end C4, so the driving assistance device 19 determines that the positions of the other vehicles V3 and V4 are at the ends of the detection range.

[0045] On the other hand, when determining whether the position of the other vehicle will enter the end of the detection range within a predetermined time, the driving assistance device 19 recognizes the driving states of the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle from driving environment information acquired by the function of the recognition unit 21, for example. The driving state of the vehicle refers to the state of the vehicle's traveling direction and vehicle speed, and includes states such as a state in which the vehicle is traveling straight, a state in which the vehicle is steering to the right or left, a state in which the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating, and a state in which the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed. The driving state of the vehicle also includes states of driving actions performed by the vehicle. Examples include a state in which the vehicle's turn signal is flashing, a state in which the vehicle's headlights are on, etc.

[0046] Regarding the driving state of the host vehicle V1, the driving assistance device 19 recognizes the current driving state of the host vehicle V1 by acquiring information such as the vehicle speed, acceleration, yaw rate, steering angle, and steering wheel rotation angle of the host vehicle V1 from various sensors of the host vehicle state detection device 13. Alternatively or in addition to this, the driving assistance device 19 may acquire road information from map information 14, acquire the current position of the host vehicle V1 from the host vehicle position detection device 15, and acquire the driving route from the navigation device 16, and recognize the traveling direction and / or vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 from the shape of the road at the current position of the host vehicle V1 and / or the driving route.

[0047] Furthermore, the driving assistance device 19 acquires control signals output from the vehicle control device 17 to the drive device and / or steering device, and recognizes how to control (change) the traveling direction and / or vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1. Then, based on these, it predicts how the traveling state of the host vehicle V1 will change after a predetermined time. Alternatively, the driving assistance device 19 may acquire road information from the map information 14, the current position of the host vehicle V1 from the host vehicle position detection device 15, and the traveling route from the navigation device 16, and predict the traveling direction and / or vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 after a predetermined time from the shape of the road ahead of the current position of the host vehicle V1 and / or the traveling route.

[0048] In response to this, with regard to the driving state of the other vehicle V2, the driving assistance device 19 acquires image data from, for example, the imaging device 11, extracts and identifies obstacles by pattern matching, and recognizes the type, position, and state of the obstacle. It also acquires information obtained by scanning the area around the host vehicle V1 from the distance measuring device 12, and recognizes the position and direction of the obstacle from this information. If it recognizes that the obstacle is another vehicle from the image data acquired from the imaging device 11, it recognizes the degree to which the vehicle body is tilted (i.e., the degree to which it is steered) from its shape. It also acquires the position and relative speed of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle V1 from the scan results of the distance measuring device 12. Then, it recognizes the driving position, traveling direction, and vehicle speed of the other vehicle based on these detection results.

[0049] When predicting the driving state of the other vehicle V2 after a predetermined time, the driving assistance device 19 acquires information obtained by scanning the surroundings of the host vehicle V1 from the distance measuring device 12, and recognizes the position and direction of an obstacle from the information. The driving assistance device 19 repeats the process of recognizing the position and direction of the obstacle from the scan results of the distance measuring device 12 multiple times (for example, three or more times) at time intervals shorter than a predetermined time, recognizes the tendency of changes in the obstacle position, and predicts the state of the obstacle after a predetermined time (i.e., the driving state of the other vehicle V2) from the tendency.

[0050] The driving assistance device 19 determines whether the position of the other vehicle V2 will enter the edge of the detection range within a predetermined time based on the recognized driving states of the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle V2. The driving assistance device 19 determines whether the other vehicle V2 will enter the edge of the detection range based on the positional relationship between the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle, the speed difference between the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle, and the traveling direction of the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle.

[0051] The predetermined time can be set to an appropriate value, for example, 10 to 20 seconds, within a range in which autonomous driving control can be initiated to prevent the position of the other vehicle from being included in the edge of the detection range between the time the other vehicle is detected and the time the other vehicle's position actually enters the edge of the detection range. If the predetermined time is shorter than this, the start of the autonomous driving control will be delayed, resulting in greater changes in the behavior of the host vehicle V1. Conversely, if the predetermined time is longer than this, it will be difficult to accurately predict the driving state, and there is a risk that autonomous driving control will be executed to prevent the position of the other vehicle from being included in the edge of the detection range in a driving scene in which normal autonomous driving control should be used.

[0052] For example, in a driving scene in which another vehicle is located behind the subject vehicle V1 and is traveling at a position other than the end of the detection range, if the speed of the other vehicle is faster than the speed of the subject vehicle V1, the other vehicle catches up with the subject vehicle V1 within a predetermined time, and the other vehicle is traveling toward the end of the detection range, it is determined that the other vehicle will enter the end within the predetermined time. In contrast, in the same driving scene, if the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or slower than the speed of the subject vehicle V1, it is determined that the other vehicle will not enter the end within the predetermined time.

[0053] Furthermore, in a driving scene in which the other vehicle is located ahead of the host vehicle V1 and is traveling at a position other than the end of the detection range, if the vehicle speed of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1, it is determined that the other vehicle will not enter the end of the detection range within a predetermined time. In contrast, in the same driving scene, if the vehicle speed of the other vehicle is slower than the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1, the host vehicle V1 catches up with the other vehicle within the predetermined time, and the host vehicle V1 (especially the end of the detection range) moves towards the other vehicle, it is determined that the other vehicle will enter the end within the predetermined time.

[0054] Alternatively, the driving assistance device 19 may determine whether the position of the other vehicle will enter an edge of the detection range within a predetermined time based on the predicted driving state of the host vehicle V1 and the driving state of the other vehicle. Specifically, the driving assistance device 19 determines whether the position of the other vehicle will enter the edge based on the positional relationship between the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle after a predetermined time. Alternatively or in addition, the driving assistance device 19 may predict the path of the other vehicle based on the recognized driving state of the other vehicle, and determine whether the position of the other vehicle will enter an edge of the detection range within a predetermined time based on the path of the other vehicle. The path of the other vehicle is, for example, the traveling direction of the other vehicle described above, and may be the driving route of the other vehicle acquired from the other vehicle if vehicle-to-vehicle communication is possible between the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle.

[0055] For example, in the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A , when another vehicle V4 is traveling behind position Q4, if the vehicle speed of the other vehicle V4 is faster than the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle V4 can catch up with the host vehicle V1 within a predetermined time, the driving assistance device 19 recognizes the driving state (particularly the traveling direction) of the other vehicle V4. In the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A , the other vehicle V4 is traveling straight in lane L3, so the traveling direction of the other vehicle V4 is toward end C4. Therefore, the driving assistance device 19 determines that the position of the other vehicle V4 will enter end C4 within the predetermined time. Note that predicting the path of the other vehicle based on the driving state of the other vehicle and determining whether the position of the other vehicle will enter the end of the detection range within the predetermined time based on the path of the other vehicle are not essential components of the present invention, and may be added or omitted as necessary.

[0056] The control unit 23 has a function of autonomously controlling the driving of the host vehicle V1 so that the other vehicle's position is not included in the edge of the detection range of the imaging device 11, if the control unit 23 determines that the other vehicle is located at the edge of the detection range of the imaging device 11 or will enter the edge within a predetermined time. If the driving assistance device 19 determines, through the function of the determination unit 22, that the other vehicle is not located at the edge of the detection range of the imaging device 11 and will not enter the edge within the predetermined time, the driving assistance device 19 executes normal autonomous driving control. On the other hand, if the driving assistance device 19 determines that the other vehicle is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the control unit 23 autonomously controls the driving of the host vehicle V1 so that the other vehicle's position is not included in the edge. Hereinafter, the autonomous driving control that prevents the other vehicle's position from being included in the edge of the detection range of the imaging device 11 is also referred to as edge avoidance control.

[0057] The edge avoidance control includes, for example, autonomously controlling the traveling of the host vehicle V1 so that the speed difference between the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle increases. For example, the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 obtained from the host vehicle state detection device 13 is compared with the vehicle speed of the other vehicle obtained from the traveling environment information, and if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is slower than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the host vehicle V1 is decelerated via the vehicle speed control device 171, if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is faster than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the host vehicle V1 is accelerated via the vehicle speed control device 171, and if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 and the vehicle speed of the other vehicle are the same, the host vehicle V1 is accelerated or decelerated via the vehicle speed control device 171.

[0058] Alternatively or additionally, the edge avoidance control may include setting the path of the host vehicle V1 based on the traveling direction (or path) of the other vehicle. For example, if the path of the other vehicle is heading toward the edge of the detection range of the image capture device 11, the path (traveling direction) of the host vehicle V1 is changed in a direction away from the other vehicle, and the host vehicle V1 is changed from the lane in which the host vehicle V1 is currently traveling to an adjacent lane in a direction away from the other vehicle. Note that, when it is determined that the position of the other vehicle will enter the edge of the detection range within a predetermined time, autonomously controlling the traveling of the host vehicle V1 so that the speed difference between the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle increases, and setting the path of the host vehicle V1 based on the path of the other vehicle in the same case, are not essential components of the present invention, and may be added or omitted as necessary.

[0059] Furthermore, when the driving assistance device 19 detects another vehicle traveling to the side of the host vehicle V1, the driving assistance device 19 may determine whether the other vehicle is traveling behind the host vehicle V1. If the driving assistance device 19 determines that the other vehicle is traveling behind the host vehicle V1 and that the other vehicle is at the edge of the detection range or will enter the edge within a predetermined time, the driving assistance device 19 autonomously controls the traveling of the host vehicle V1 so that the position of the other vehicle is not included in the edge of the detection range located behind the host vehicle V1. This is because the imaging device 11 that captures images behind the host vehicle V1 has a shorter focal length than the imaging device 11 that captures images in front of the host vehicle V1, and it is therefore easy for the driving assistance device 19 to fail to accurately recognize the traveling state of the other vehicle.

[0060] In addition, when it is determined that the position of another vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle V1 is at the edge of the detection range or will enter that edge within a predetermined time, autonomously controlling the traveling of the host vehicle V1 so that the position of the other vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle V1 is not included in the edge behind the host vehicle V1 is not an essential configuration for the present invention, and may be added or omitted as necessary.

[0061] In the driving scene shown in Fig. 4A, the other vehicle V3 is traveling at position Q3 of the end C3, and the other vehicle V4 is traveling at position Q4 of the end C4. Therefore, the driving assistance device 19 performs edge avoidance control by comparing the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 with the vehicle speeds of the other vehicles V3 and V4. When the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is faster than the vehicle speeds of the other vehicles V3 and V4, the driving assistance device 19 accelerates the host vehicle V1 and causes the host vehicle V1 to travel from position P2 to position P3 along the travel trajectory T1, as shown in Fig. 4B. In other words, when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is faster than the vehicle speeds of the other vehicles V3 and V4, the driving assistance device 19 accelerates the host vehicle V1 to move the positions of the other vehicles V3 and V4 away from the ends C3 and C4 so that they are not included in the ends C3 and C4, regardless of whether the other vehicle V3 is traveling ahead of the host vehicle V1 or the other vehicle V4 is traveling behind the host vehicle V1.

[0062] In contrast, when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is slower than the vehicle speeds of the other vehicles V3 and V4, the host vehicle V1 is decelerated and travels along the travel path T2 from position P2 to position P4 as shown in Fig. 4C. That is, when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is slower than the vehicle speeds of the other vehicles V3 and V4, the host vehicle V1 is decelerated to move the positions of the other vehicles V3 and V4 away from the ends C3 and C4 so that they are not included in the ends C3 and C4, even if the other vehicle V3 is traveling ahead of the host vehicle V1 or the other vehicle V4 is traveling behind the host vehicle V1. Note that positions P3 and P4 are relative positions with respect to position P2, and the host vehicle V1 does not move backward in the travel scene shown in Fig. 4C.

[0063] Furthermore, when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is the same as the vehicle speed of the other vehicles V3 and V4, the host vehicle V1 is accelerated or decelerated. That is, when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is the same as the vehicle speed of the other vehicles V3 and V4, the host vehicle V1 may be accelerated or decelerated as long as the positions of the other vehicles V3 and V4 move out of the end portions C3 and C4 and do not enter the end portions C3 and C4. Note that the positions of the other vehicles V3 and V4 not included in the end portions C3 and C4 of the detection range means that the entire body of the other vehicles V3 and V4 is not included in the end portions C3 and C4 when viewed from above, and that a large portion (e.g., 90% or more) of the body of the other vehicles V3 and V4 is not included in the end portions C3 and C4. That is, only a portion (e.g., 10% or less) of the body of the other vehicles V3 and V4 may be included in the end portions C3 and C4.

[0064] Alternatively, the driving assistance device 19 may maintain the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is faster than the vehicle speeds of the other vehicles V3 and V4 in the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A. Alternatively or in addition, the driving assistance device 19 may determine whether the positions of the other vehicles V3 and V4 are at the edge of the detection range when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is the same as the vehicle speed of the other vehicles V3 and V4 in the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A. Then, as in the driving scene shown in FIG. 4A, when it is determined that the positions of the other vehicles V3 and V4 are at the edge, the driving assistance device 19 accelerates or decelerates the host vehicle V1. On the other hand, when it is determined that the positions of the other vehicles V3 and V4 are not at the edge, the driving assistance device 19 maintains the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1. This is because edge avoidance control is performed only when there is a possibility that the other vehicle V4 will enter a position ahead of the host vehicle V1. In other words, in a driving scene where the vehicle speed of the subject vehicle V1 is slower than that of the other vehicle V4, it is predicted that the other vehicle V4 will overtake the subject vehicle V1 and change lanes toward a position ahead of the subject vehicle V1, but in a driving scene where the vehicle speed of the subject vehicle V1 is faster than that of the other vehicle V4, it is difficult to predict that the other vehicle will change lanes toward a position ahead of the subject vehicle V1.

[0065] Next, edge avoidance control in different driving situations will be explained with reference to FIG.

[0066] Fig. 5 is a plan view showing an example of a driving scene in which edge avoidance control is executed. The driving scene shown in Fig. 5 is a driving scene in which the host vehicle V1 and other vehicles V5 and V6 are traveling on the road shown in Fig. 2, with the host vehicle V1 traveling at position P5 in lane L1 and the other vehicle V5 traveling ahead of it at position Q5 in lane L1. The other vehicle V6 is also traveling at position Q6 in lane L3. In the driving scene shown in Fig. 5, the host vehicle V1 is traveling at a constant speed using lane keeping control, and the other vehicles V5 and V6 are traveling straight at the same vehicle speed as the host vehicle V1.

[0067] In the driving scene shown in FIG. 5 , the host vehicle V1 cannot detect an obstacle ahead of the lane L1 due to being blocked by the other vehicle V5, so the host vehicle V1 changes lanes from lane L1 to lane L2 to overtake the other vehicle V5. In this case, the driving assistance device 19 acquires the driving state of the other vehicle from the driving environment information using the function of the recognition unit 21. At the same time, the driving assistance device 19 determines, based on the detection result of the other vehicle, whether or not there is another vehicle in the adjacent lane and the adjacent-to-next-lane lane using the function of the determination unit 22. If it is determined that there is no other vehicle in the adjacent lane but there is another vehicle in the adjacent-to-next-lane lane, the driving assistance device 19 performs edge avoidance control by determining whether the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent-to-next-lane is at the edge of the detection range or will enter the edge within a predetermined time. On the other hand, if there is another vehicle in the adjacent lane, the driving assistance device 19 does not perform lane change assistance regardless of whether there is another vehicle in the adjacent-to-next-lane lane.

[0068] In the driving scene shown in Fig. 5, another vehicle V6 traveling at position Q6 in lane L3, which is the next-to-next-to lane, is detected, and therefore it is determined that the other vehicle V6 is present in the next-to-next-to lane. In contrast, there is no other vehicle in lane L2, which is the adjacent lane. Therefore, the driving assistance device 19 determines whether the position Q6 of the other vehicle V6 traveling in lane L3, which is the next-to-next-to lane, is at the edge of the detection range or will enter that edge within a predetermined time. Specifically, when the host vehicle V1 generates a travel trajectory T3 for changing lanes from lane L1 to lane L2 and travels along the travel trajectory T3, it determines whether the position Q6 of the other vehicle V6 will enter any of the edges C1 to C4 within the predetermined time.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 5, when the host vehicle V1 travels from position P5 to position P6 along the travel trajectory T3, the position Q6 of the other vehicle V6 enters the edge C4. Therefore, in the travel scene shown in FIG. 5, the driving assistance device 19 determines that the position Q6 of the other vehicle V6 traveling in the adjacent lane L3 will enter the edge C4 within a predetermined time, and does not assist the host vehicle V1 in changing lanes using autonomous driving control. In this case, the lane change is performed manually by the driver. On the other hand, if it is determined that the position Q6 of the other vehicle V6 traveling in the adjacent lane will not enter the edge of the detection range within the predetermined time, the driving assistance device 19 causes the host vehicle V1 to change lanes from lane L1 to lane L2 using autonomous driving control in order to overtake the leading vehicle V5.

[0070] However, in this embodiment, assistance for changing lanes of the host vehicle V1 is not always provided in the driving scene shown in Fig. 5. For example, when the host vehicle V1 is overtaking a preceding vehicle of the host vehicle V1, it is determined whether or not there are other vehicles in the lane adjacent to the lane in which the host vehicle V1 is traveling and in the adjacent lane. If it is determined that there is no other vehicle in the adjacent lane but there is another vehicle in the adjacent lane, it is determined whether or not the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane is at the edge of the detection range or will enter the edge of the detection range within a predetermined time.

[0071] In the driving scene shown in Fig. 5, the host vehicle V1 attempts to overtake another vehicle V5, which is a preceding vehicle, and determines whether there are other vehicles in the lane L2 adjacent to the lane L1 in which the host vehicle V1 is traveling and in the lane L3 adjacent to lane L2. In the driving scene shown in Fig. 5, there is no other vehicle in the adjacent lane, lane L2, but there is another vehicle V6 in the adjacent lane L3, so it determines whether the position Q6 of the other vehicle V6 is at the edge C4 or will enter the edge C4 within a predetermined time.

[0072] As described above, in the driving scene shown in FIG. 5, position Q6 of the other vehicle V6 will enter end C4 within a predetermined time, so the driving assistance device 19 decelerates the host vehicle V1 using autonomous driving control and causes the host vehicle V1 to travel from position P5 to position P7 along traveling path T4, as shown in FIG. 6A. Then, in conjunction with this deceleration control, the host vehicle V1 changes lanes from its own lane, lane L1, to adjacent lane L2, as shown in FIG. 6B. The host vehicle V1 travels along traveling path T5 from position P7 on lane L1 to position P8 on lane L2, but during the lane change, position Q6 of the other vehicle V6 traveling in the adjacent lane L3 does not enter any of the ends C1 to C4 of the detection range. Note that positions P7 and P8 are relative positions with respect to position P5, and in the driving scene shown in FIG. 6A, the host vehicle V1 decelerates but does not retreat.

[0073] Note that it is not necessary for the host vehicle V1 to travel to position P7 behind the other vehicle V6 as shown in FIG. 6B. The vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 may be set so that the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle V6 travel side by side, and the lane change may be performed while the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle V6 are traveling side by side. This is because, as long as the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle V6 are traveling side by side, position Q6 of the other vehicle V6 will not enter the edges C3 and C4. Furthermore, the timing of decelerating the host vehicle V1 by autonomous traveling control and the timing of changing lanes from lane L1 to lane L2 may be such that lane change assistance is performed after the deceleration control is completed, as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, or the two controls may be performed simultaneously. In other words, the host vehicle V1 may change lanes from lane L1 to lane L2 while decelerating.

[0074] 4A to 4C, 5, and 6A to 6B are merely examples, and edge avoidance control other than the edge avoidance control described above may be executed in each driving scene. Also, in the driving assistance device 19 of this embodiment, it is not essential to execute edge avoidance control for all of the driving scenes shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, 5, and 6A to 6B, and the driving assistance device 19 may execute edge avoidance control for some of the driving scenes.

[0075] [System processing] The procedure for processing information by the driving assistance device 19 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is an example of a flowchart showing information processing executed in the driving assistance system 10 of this embodiment. The processing described below is executed at predetermined time intervals by the CPU 191, which is the processor of the driving assistance device 19. Note that the flowchart shown in Fig. 7 is based on the premise that the host vehicle V1 is traveling on a road using lane keeping control.

[0076] First, in step S1 of FIG. 7, the function of the recognition unit 21 is used to detect another vehicle using the imaging device 11. In step S2, it is determined from the detection result whether or not another vehicle V2 is present to the side of the host vehicle V1. If another vehicle V2 is not present to the side of the host vehicle V1, the process proceeds to step S7, where the function of the control unit 23 executes normal autonomous driving control, and the process proceeds to step S8. On the other hand, if another vehicle is present to the side of the host vehicle V1, the process proceeds to step S3, where the function of the determination unit 22 determines whether or not the position of the other vehicle is at the end of the detection range of the imaging device 11. If it is determined that the position of the other vehicle is at the end of the detection range, the process proceeds to step S6. On the other hand, if it is determined that the position of the other vehicle is not at the end of the detection range, the process proceeds to step S4.

[0077] In step S4, the function of the determination unit 22 predicts the traveling states of the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle after a predetermined time, and in the following step S5, it is determined whether the position of the other vehicle will enter the edge of the detection range of the imaging device 11 within the predetermined time. If it is determined that the position of the other vehicle will not enter the edge of the detection range within the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S7, where normal autonomous traveling control is executed, and then to step S8. On the other hand, if it is determined that the position of the other vehicle will enter the edge of the detection range within the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S6, where the function of the control unit 23 autonomously controls the traveling of the host vehicle V1 so that the position of the other vehicle is not included in the edge of the detection range. Then, the process proceeds to step S8.

[0078] In step S8, the function of the support unit 20 determines whether the host vehicle V1 has reached the destination. If it is determined that the host vehicle V1 has reached the destination, the execution of the routine is terminated, and the display device 18 is used to prompt the driver of the host vehicle V1 to drive manually. On the other hand, if it is determined that the host vehicle V1 has not reached the destination, the process proceeds to step S1. Note that manual driving refers to the driving support device 19 not performing autonomous driving control of the driving operation, but rather controlling the driving of the vehicle through the driver's operation.

[0079] Next, an example of the subroutine of step S6 in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0080] 8, the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is compared with the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, and in the subsequent step S12, it is determined whether the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is faster than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle. If the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is faster than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the process proceeds to step S13, where the vehicle speed control device 171 is used to accelerate the host vehicle V1 or maintain the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1. On the other hand, if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is not faster than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle (that is, if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is equal to or lower than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle), the process proceeds to step S14, where it is determined whether the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is the same as the vehicle speed of the other vehicle.

[0081] If the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 and the vehicle speed of the other vehicle are different (i.e., if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is slower than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle), the process proceeds to step S15, where the host vehicle V1 is decelerated using the vehicle speed control device 171. On the other hand, if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 and the vehicle speed of the other vehicle are the same, the process proceeds to step S16, where it is determined whether the position of the other vehicle is at the end of the detection range of the imaging device 11. If it is determined that the position of the other vehicle is at the end of the detection range, the process proceeds to step S17, where the host vehicle V1 is accelerated or decelerated using the vehicle speed control device 171. On the other hand, if it is determined that the position of the other vehicle is not at the end of the detection range, the process proceeds to step S18, where the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is maintained. Note that steps S16 and S18 are not essential steps and may be provided as needed.

[0082] Next, another example of the subroutine of step S6 in FIG. 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0083] First, in step S21 of FIG. 9, it is determined whether the host vehicle V1 will change lanes to an adjacent lane. If it is determined that the host vehicle V1 will not change lanes to an adjacent lane, the process proceeds to step S7 of FIG. 7, where normal autonomous driving control is executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the host vehicle V1 will change lanes to an adjacent lane, the process proceeds to step S22, where the recognition unit 21 uses the imaging device 11 to detect other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane and the lane next to it. In step S23, it is determined whether other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane are present. If it is determined that other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane are present, the process proceeds to step S24, where the host vehicle does not change lanes to the adjacent lane, and the control unit 23 performs autonomous control, for example, to maintain lane keeping control. On the other hand, if it is determined that no other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane are present, the process proceeds to step S25.

[0084] In step S25, it is determined whether or not there is another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, and if it is determined that there is no other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, the process proceeds to step S27, where a lane change to the adjacent lane is executed by the function of the control unit 23. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, the process proceeds to step S26, where it is determined whether or not the position of the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane will enter the edge of the detection range of the image capture device 11 within a predetermined time. If it is determined that the position of the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane will enter the edge of the detection range within the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S24, and if it is determined that the position of the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane will not enter the edge of the detection range within the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S27.

[0085] Next, with reference to FIG. 10, another example of the subroutine of step S6 in FIG. 7 will be described.

[0086] First, in step S31 of FIG. 10, the recognition unit 21 detects a preceding vehicle using the imaging device 11, and then in step S32, the determination unit 22 determines whether the host vehicle V1 will overtake the preceding vehicle. If it is determined that the host vehicle V1 will not overtake the preceding vehicle, the process proceeds to step S7 of FIG. 7, where normal autonomous driving control is executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the host vehicle V1 will overtake the preceding vehicle, the process proceeds to step S33, where the recognition unit 21 uses the imaging device 11 to detect other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane and the lane next to it. In step S34, it is determined whether other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane are present. If it is determined that other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane are present, the process proceeds to step S35, where overtaking of the preceding vehicle is not executed, and the control unit 23 causes the preceding vehicle to follow, for example, by following control. On the other hand, if it is determined that no other vehicles are traveling in the adjacent lane, the process proceeds to step S36.

[0087] In step S36, it is determined whether or not there is another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane. If it is determined that there is no other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, the process proceeds to step S39, where the control unit 23 functions to overtake the preceding vehicle. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, the process proceeds to step S37, where it is determined whether or not the position of the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane will enter the edge of the detection range of the image capture device 11 within a predetermined time. If it is determined that the position of the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane will enter the edge of the detection range within the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S38, where the vehicle speed control device 171 is used to decelerate the host vehicle V1, and then the process proceeds to step S39. On the other hand, if it is determined that the position of the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane will not enter the edge of the detection range within the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S39.

[0088] The driving assistance device 19 and driving assistance method according to the present invention can be used in any of the following cases: when only the vehicle's traveling speed is autonomously controlled; when only the vehicle's steering operation is autonomously controlled; and when both the vehicle's traveling speed and steering operation are autonomously controlled. Furthermore, the driving assistance device 19 and driving assistance method according to the present invention can be used not only for autonomous driving control, but also for assisting the driver in manual driving.

[0089] [Embodiments of the present invention] As described above, according to this embodiment, a driving assistance method is provided, in which the processor uses an image capture device 11 to detect another vehicle traveling beside the host vehicle V1, determines whether the other vehicle is located at an edge of a detection range of the image capture device 11 or will enter the edge within a predetermined time, and, if it is determined that the other vehicle is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, autonomously controls the traveling of the host vehicle V1 so that the other vehicle is not located within the edge. This embodiment is referred to as embodiment (1). This reduces the impact of erroneous recognition of the traveling state of the other vehicle on the traveling state of the host vehicle V1.

[0090] Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, the processor may predict the path of the other vehicle based on the traveling state of the other vehicle, determine whether the position of the other vehicle will enter the edge within the predetermined time based on the path of the other vehicle, and, if it determines that the position of the other vehicle will enter the edge within the predetermined time, autonomously control the traveling of the host vehicle V1 so that the speed difference between the host vehicle V1 and the other vehicle increases, or set the path of the host vehicle V1 based on the path of the other vehicle. This embodiment is referred to as embodiment (2). This allows the edge avoidance control to be set in advance and executed smoothly.

[0091] Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, when the processor determines that the other vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle V1 among the other vehicles traveling beside the host vehicle V1 is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the processor may autonomously control the traveling of the host vehicle V1 so that the other vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle V1 is not located at the edge behind the host vehicle V1. This embodiment is referred to as embodiment (3). As a result, edge avoidance control can be performed even when an obstacle present behind the host vehicle V1 is detected by an imaging device 11 with a short focal length.

[0092] Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, when the processor determines that the other vehicle is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the processor compares the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 with the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, and if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is faster than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the processor may accelerate the host vehicle V1, if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is slower than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the processor may decelerate the host vehicle V1, and if the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is the same as the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the processor may accelerate or decelerate the host vehicle V1. This embodiment is referred to as embodiment (4). This allows edge avoidance control to be performed according to the driving situation.

[0093] Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, when the processor determines that the other vehicle is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the processor compares the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 with the vehicle speed of the other vehicle. If the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is faster than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the processor maintains the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1. If the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is slower than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the processor decelerates the host vehicle V1. If the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1 is the same as the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the processor determines whether the other vehicle is located at the edge. If the other vehicle is located at the edge, the processor accelerates or decelerates the host vehicle V1. If the other vehicle is not located at the edge, the processor maintains the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V1. This embodiment is referred to as embodiment (5). This allows edge avoidance control to be performed according to the driving situation.

[0094] Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, when the host vehicle V1 changes lanes from the host vehicle's own lane to an adjacent lane, the processor determines, based on the other vehicle detection result, whether the other vehicle is present in the adjacent lane and the adjacent lane adjacent to the adjacent lane. If it is determined that the other vehicle is not present in the adjacent lane but is present in the adjacent lane, the processor determines whether the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time. If it is determined that the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, it is not necessary to provide lane change assistance through autonomous driving control. This embodiment is referred to as embodiment (6). This makes it possible to avoid driving situations in which edge avoidance control is performed during lane change execution.

[0095] Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, when the host vehicle V1 overtakes a preceding vehicle of the host vehicle V1, the processor determines, from the detection result of the other vehicle, whether or not the other vehicle is present in an adjacent lane to the host vehicle V1 in which the host vehicle V1 is traveling and in an adjacent lane adjacent to the adjacent lane, and if it is determined that the other vehicle is not present in the adjacent lane and that the other vehicle is present in the adjacent lane, determines whether or not the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane is at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time. and when it is determined that the other vehicle traveling in the next-next-to-the-other lane is not at the edge and will not enter the edge within the predetermined time, the autonomous driving control may cause the host vehicle V1 to change lanes from the host lane to the adjacent lane in order to overtake the preceding vehicle, and when it is determined that the other vehicle traveling in the next-next-to-the-other lane is at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the autonomous driving control may cause the host vehicle V1 to decelerate and change lanes from the host lane to the adjacent lane. This embodiment is referred to as embodiment (7). This makes it possible to overtake a preceding vehicle while avoiding a driving situation in which edge avoidance control is performed during lane change.

[0096] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a driving assistance device 19 is provided, which includes: a recognition unit 21 that uses an imaging device 11 to detect other vehicles traveling alongside the host vehicle V1; a determination unit 22 that determines whether the other vehicle is located at an edge of the detection range of the imaging device 11 or will enter the edge within a predetermined time; and a control unit 23 that, when the determination unit 22 determines that the other vehicle is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, autonomously controls the traveling of the host vehicle V1 so that the other vehicle's position is not included in the edge. This embodiment is referred to as embodiment (8). This makes it possible to suppress the impact of erroneous recognition of the traveling state of other vehicles on the traveling state of the host vehicle V1.

[0097] The position of the other vehicle may be regarded as the entire vehicle or as a specific position (for example, the center of the vehicle or a specific part) in the overall length direction (or longitudinal direction) of the other vehicle. The same reference may always be used for the position of the other vehicle, or the reference may be changed depending on the situation (driving scene). For example, a specific part such as a headlight, taillight, or front and / or rear bumper of the other vehicle may be used as the reference. Furthermore, for another vehicle approaching the host vehicle V1 from behind, a specific part in front of the other vehicle (front of the vehicle body) may be used as the reference, and for another vehicle approaching the host vehicle V1 from behind, a specific part in the rear of the other vehicle (rear of the vehicle body) may be used as the reference.

[0098] [Combination of implementations] According to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (2), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (3), or embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2) and (3). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (4), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2) and (4), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (3) and (4), or embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), and (4).

[0099] The same applies to the driving assistance device 19 of this embodiment; the embodiment (8) may be combined with the embodiment (2), the embodiment (8) may be combined with the embodiment (3), or the embodiment (8) may be combined with the embodiments (2) and (3). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance device 19 of this embodiment, the embodiment (8) may be combined with the embodiment (4), the embodiment (8) may be combined with the embodiments (2) and (4), the embodiment (8) may be combined with the embodiments (3) and (4), or the embodiment (8) may be combined with the embodiments (2), (3), and (4).

[0100] According to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (5), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2) and (5), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (3) and (5), or embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), and (5). Similarly, according to the driving assistance device 19 of this embodiment, embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiment (5), embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (2) and (5), embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (3) and (5), or embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), and (5).

[0101] According to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (6), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (2) and (6), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (3) and (6), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (4) and (6), or embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (5) and (6). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (2), (3), and (6), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (2), (4), and (6), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (2), (5), and (6), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (3), (4), and (6), or embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (3), (5), and (6). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), (4), and (6), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), (5), and (6), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (3), (4), (5), and (6), and embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2) to (6).

[0102] Similarly, the driving assistance device 19 of this embodiment may be combined with embodiment (8) and embodiment (6), or may be combined with embodiment (8) and embodiments (2) and (6), or may be combined with embodiment (8) and embodiments (3) and (6), or may be combined with embodiment (8) and embodiments (4) and (6), or may be combined with embodiment (8) and embodiments (5) and (6). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiment (2), (3), and (6), or may be combined with embodiment (8) and embodiments (2), (4), and (6), or may be combined with embodiment (8) and embodiments (2), (5), and (6), or may be combined with embodiment (8) and embodiments (3), (4), and (6), or may be combined with embodiment (8) and embodiments (3), (5), and (6). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), (4), and (6), embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), (5), and (6), embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (3), (4), (5), and (6), and embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (2) to (6).

[0103] According to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (7), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (2) and (7), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (3) and (7), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (4) and (7), or embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (5) and (7). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (2), (3), and (7), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (2), (4), and (7), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (2), (5), and (7), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (3), (4), and (7), or embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiment (3), (5), and (7). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), (4), and (7), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), (5), and (7), embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (3), (4), (5), and (7), and embodiment (1) may be combined with embodiments (2) to (5) and (7).

[0104] Similarly, the driving assistance device 19 of this embodiment may combine embodiment (8) with embodiment (7), or may combine embodiment (8) with embodiments (2) and (7), or may combine embodiment (8) with embodiments (3) and (7), or may combine embodiment (8) with embodiments (4) and (7), or may combine embodiment (8) with embodiments (5) and (7). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (8) may combine embodiments (2), (3), and (7), or may combine embodiment (8) with embodiments (2), (4), and (7), or may combine embodiment (8) with embodiments (2), (5), and (7), or may combine embodiment (8) with embodiments (3), (4), and (7), or may combine embodiment (8) with embodiments (3), (5), and (7). Furthermore, according to the driving assistance method of this embodiment, embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), (4), and (7), embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (2), (3), (5), and (7), embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (3), (4), (5), and (7), and embodiment (8) may be combined with embodiments (2) to (5) and (7). [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10...Driver assistance system 11...imaging device 12…Distance measuring device 13... Vehicle state detection device 14...Map information 15...Vehicle position detection device 16...Navigation device 17...Vehicle control device 171...Vehicle speed control device 172...Steering control device 18...Display device 19...Driving assistance device 191...CPU (processor) 192...ROM 193...RAM 20…Support Department 21...Recognition part 22...Judgment section 23...Control unit A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, B4...Detection range C1,C2,C3,C4...end L1, L2, L3...lanes P1,P2,P3,P4,P5,P6,P7,P8...Position (own vehicle) Q1,Q2,Q3,Q4,Q5,Q6...Position (other vehicle) T1, T2, T3, T4, T5...Driving trajectory (own vehicle) U1, Ux, Uy...Travel trajectory (other vehicles) V1...own vehicle V2,V3,V4,V5,V6…Other vehicles

Claims

1. A driving assistance method executed by a processor, comprising: The processor: Using an imaging device, another vehicle traveling beside the vehicle is detected; determining whether the other vehicle is at an edge of a detection range of the imaging device or will enter the edge within a predetermined time; A driving assistance method that autonomously controls the driving of the vehicle so that the position of the other vehicle is not included in the edge when it is determined that the other vehicle is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the specified time.

2. The processor: predicting a course of the other vehicle based on a traveling state of the other vehicle; determining whether the position of the other vehicle will enter the edge portion within the predetermined time based on the path of the other vehicle; 2. The driving assistance method according to claim 1, wherein, when it is determined that the position of the other vehicle will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the driving of the subject vehicle is autonomously controlled so that a speed difference between the subject vehicle and the other vehicle increases, or a path of the subject vehicle is set based on a path of the other vehicle.

3. The processor:

3. The driving assistance method according to claim 1, wherein, when it is determined that the position of the other vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle among the other vehicles traveling beside the host vehicle is at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the driving of the host vehicle is autonomously controlled so that the position of the other vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle is not included in the edge behind the host vehicle.

4. The processor: When it is determined that the other vehicle is at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the vehicle speed of the own vehicle is compared with the vehicle speed of the other vehicle; When the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is faster than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the host vehicle is accelerated; When the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is slower than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the host vehicle is decelerated; The driving assistance method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the speed of the host vehicle is the same as the speed of the other vehicle, the host vehicle is accelerated or decelerated.

5. The processor: When it is determined that the other vehicle is at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the vehicle speed of the own vehicle is compared with the vehicle speed of the other vehicle; When the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is faster than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is maintained; When the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is slower than the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, the host vehicle is decelerated; When the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is the same as the vehicle speed of the other vehicle, it is determined whether the other vehicle is located at the edge; When it is determined that the position of the other vehicle is at the edge, the host vehicle is accelerated or decelerated; The driving assistance method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when it is determined that the other vehicle is not at the edge, the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is maintained.

6. The processor: When the host vehicle changes lanes from the host lane in which the host vehicle is traveling to an adjacent lane of the host lane, it is determined from the detection result of the other vehicle whether or not the other vehicle is present in the adjacent lane and a lane adjacent to the adjacent lane; If it is determined that the other vehicle is not present in the adjacent lane and that the other vehicle is present in the adjacent lane, it is determined whether the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane is at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time; 3. The driving assistance method according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the position of the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane is at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, lane change assistance is not provided by autonomous driving control.

7. The processor: When the host vehicle is overtaking a preceding vehicle of the host vehicle, it is determined from the detection result of the other vehicle whether or not the other vehicle is present in an adjacent lane to the host vehicle lane in which the host vehicle is traveling and in a lane adjacent to the adjacent lane; If it is determined that the other vehicle is not present in the adjacent lane and that the other vehicle is present in the adjacent lane, it is determined whether the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane is at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time; when it is determined that the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane is not at the edge and will not enter the edge within the predetermined time, changing lanes from the own lane to the adjacent lane by autonomous driving control in order to overtake the preceding vehicle; 3. The driving assistance method according to claim 1, wherein when it is determined that the position of the other vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane is at the edge or will enter the edge within the predetermined time, the autonomous driving control causes the vehicle to decelerate and change lanes from the own lane to the adjacent lane.

8. a recognition unit that detects other vehicles traveling beside the vehicle using an imaging device; a determination unit that determines whether the other vehicle is located at an edge of a detection range of the imaging device or will enter the edge within a predetermined time; a control unit that, when the determination unit determines that the other vehicle is located at the edge or will enter the edge within the specified time, autonomously controls the driving of the vehicle so that the other vehicle's position is not included in the edge.

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