Driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and program

Abstract

To provide an advantageous technique for appropriately performing driving assistance for a self-vehicle.SOLUTION: A driving assistance device, which has storage means storing a plurality of intersection locations and performs driving assistance for a self-vehicle on the basis of the plurality of intersection locations, includes: acquisition means that acquires surrounding vehicle information including a traveling trajectory of a surrounding vehicle present around the self-vehicle through vehicle-to-vehicle communication; determination means that determines, as a candidate point, a point at which the self-vehicle starts to accelerate after decelerating to a speed threshold value or less or a point at which the self-vehicle temporarily stops; identification means that identifies, as a new intersection location, a location where the traveling trajectory of the self-vehicle and the traveling trajectory of the surrounding vehicle intersect in a case of determining that the surrounding vehicle has passed through a predetermined area set for the candidate point on the basis of the surrounding vehicle information acquired by the acquisition means; and registration means that registers the new intersection location in a case where the identification means identifies the new intersection location.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] There is known a device that provides driving assistance without using map information to prevent collision with other vehicles (surrounding vehicles), etc. Patent Document 1 discloses a driving assistance device that registers in a storage unit position information of an intersection where the travel path of the vehicle and the travel path of another vehicle intersect, and provides driving assistance to the vehicle when passing through the intersection again. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7054636 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The driving assistance device predicts the possibility of a collision of the host vehicle within a target area ahead of the host vehicle and provides driving assistance for the host vehicle based on the prediction result. The driving assistance device also changes the level of driving assistance for the host vehicle depending on whether an intersection point between the host vehicle's travel path and the travel path of another vehicle, which has been previously identified and registered (stored), exists within the target area. However, if the intersection point is not appropriately identified, such as if an intersection point is identified too frequently for a point where the need for driving assistance is relatively low, or if an intersection point is not identified for a point where the need for driving assistance is relatively high, it may be difficult to provide driving assistance appropriately.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an advantageous technique for appropriately providing driving assistance for a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a driving assistance device as one aspect of the present invention has a memory means for storing a plurality of intersection positions each indicating a position where the driving trajectory of the host vehicle and the driving trajectory of another vehicle have intersected in the past, and provides driving assistance for the host vehicle based on each of the plurality of intersection positions, and is characterized by comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring surrounding vehicle information including the driving trajectories of surrounding vehicles present around the host vehicle from the surrounding vehicles via vehicle-to-vehicle communication; a determination means for determining a point where the host vehicle starts accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or below, or a point where the host vehicle stops, as a candidate point for identifying a position where the host vehicle and the surrounding vehicles intersect; an identification means for, when it is determined that the surrounding vehicle has passed through a predetermined area set for the candidate point based on the surrounding vehicle information acquired by the acquisition means, identifying the position where the driving trajectory of the host vehicle and the driving trajectory of the surrounding vehicle intersect as a new intersection position; and a registration means for, when the new intersection position is identified by the identification means, registering the new intersection position in the memory means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide an advantageous technique for appropriately performing driving assistance for a vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] A diagram showing an example of the configuration of an intersection location database [Figure 3] Diagram for explaining the intersection position [Figure 4] 1 is a flowchart showing a driving assistance process according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining whether or not there is a registered intersection position within a target area ahead of the vehicle. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart showing a learning process according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining step S202 in the flowchart of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining step S204 in the flowchart of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining step S205 in the flowchart of FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the steps (S206 to S207) of the flowchart of FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining step S209 in the flowchart of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of setting a predetermined area (S205). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and includes modifications and variations of the configuration within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the present embodiments are necessarily essential to the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate the same components, and their description will be omitted.

[0010] <Configuration of driving assistance device> FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a driving assistance device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The driving assistance device 100 is a device mounted on a host vehicle to provide driving assistance for the host vehicle. In this embodiment, the driving assistance device 100 performs collision prevention assistance for preventing (reducing) collisions with surrounding vehicles as driving assistance for the host vehicle without using map information. The driving assistance device 100 according to this embodiment may include a sensor group 11, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) antenna 12, a vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13, a notification device 14, a braking device 15, and a control device 20. In the following description, the term "other vehicle" generally refers to a vehicle different from the host vehicle, and may be specifically defined as a vehicle with which vehicle-to-vehicle communication has been established with the host vehicle. The term "surrounding vehicle" refers to a vehicle currently present in the vicinity of the host vehicle, and may be specifically defined as a vehicle with which vehicle-to-vehicle communication has been established with the host vehicle.

[0011] The sensor group 11 includes various sensors mounted on the host vehicle to perform driving assistance for the host vehicle. For example, the sensor group 11 may include a speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the host vehicle, etc. The sensor group 11 may also include external detection sensors such as a camera, millimeter wave radar, and LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) that can detect objects around the host vehicle. The sensor group 11 outputs the detection results to the control device 20.

[0012] The GNSS antenna 12 receives radio waves for position measurement transmitted from GNSS satellites. For example, the GNSS antenna 12 can be used to obtain information about the current position of the vehicle. The vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13 is an antenna that transmits and receives various data to and from surrounding vehicles. For example, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13 can be used to obtain information about the current positions, speeds, and driving trajectories of surrounding vehicles.

[0013] The notification device 14 is a device that notifies an occupant of the host vehicle (for example, the driver). When there is a possibility that the host vehicle will collide with a surrounding vehicle, the driving assistance device 100 of this embodiment can notify the occupant of the host vehicle of the possibility of a collision with the surrounding vehicle by the notification device 14 as driving assistance. For example, the notification device 14 may include a display unit such as a display, and display information indicating the possibility of a collision with the surrounding vehicle on the display unit, or may include an audio output unit such as a speaker, and output information indicating the possibility of a collision with the surrounding vehicle from the audio output unit by voice or the like.

[0014] The braking device 15 is a device for performing a braking operation of the host vehicle, such as a brake. When there is a possibility that the host vehicle will collide with a nearby vehicle, the driving assistance device 100 of this embodiment operates the braking device 15 to assist in decelerating the host vehicle as driving assistance, thereby making it possible to avoid a collision with the nearby vehicle.

[0015] The control device 20 is a device (computer) that controls driving assistance for the vehicle, and can be configured, for example, by an ECU (Electric Control Unit). The control device 20 of this embodiment performs driving assistance through vehicle-to-vehicle communication with other vehicles (surrounding vehicles) and processing within the vehicle. In other words, the control device 20 performs driving assistance without using map information. The control device 20 includes a processing unit 21, a storage unit 22, a GNSS module 23, and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication module 24, which are connected by a bus (not shown).

[0016] The processing unit 21 is a processor typified by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and executes programs stored in the storage unit 22. The storage unit 22 includes, for example, a RAM, a ROM, a hard disk, etc., and stores various data in addition to a program (driving assistance program) for the processing unit 21 to execute driving assistance processing for the host vehicle and a program (learning program) for the processing unit 21 to learn new intersection positions. In this embodiment, the storage unit 22 stores a database (information) of multiple intersection positions, each indicating a position where the traveling path of the host vehicle intersected with the traveling path of another vehicle in the past. In addition, the GNSS module 23 receives position information of the host vehicle and the like from GNSS satellites via the GNSS antenna 12. In addition, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication module 24 receives various information from other vehicles via the vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13.

[0017] The processing unit 21 of this embodiment may include an acquisition unit 21a, a driving assistance unit 21b, a determination unit 21c, an identification unit 21d, and a registration unit 21e in order to perform driving assistance for the host vehicle (collision prevention assistance in this embodiment). Note that the processing unit 21 is not limited to a configuration including the units 21a to 21e, and other units may be added or some units may be omitted depending on the type of driving assistance to be performed on the host vehicle.

[0018] The acquisition unit 21a acquires nearby vehicle information, including the current position, speed, and traveling path of the nearby vehicle, from the nearby vehicle via the vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13 (vehicle-to-vehicle communication module 24). The acquisition unit 21a may also include a function of acquiring host vehicle information, including the current position, speed, and traveling path of the host vehicle, via the sensor group 11 and the GNSS antenna 12 (GNSS module 23).

[0019] The driving assistance unit 21b predicts the possibility of a collision of the host vehicle within a target area ahead of the host vehicle based on the host vehicle information and surrounding vehicle information acquired by the acquisition unit 21a, and controls driving assistance (collision prevention assistance) for the host vehicle based on the prediction result. The target area may be understood as an area (driving assistance area) for which driving assistance is provided to prevent a collision between the host vehicle and surrounding vehicles, and may be simply referred to as the "target area" below. In this embodiment, the driving assistance unit 21b can perform at least one of notifying the occupants of the host vehicle by the notification device 14 and assisting in deceleration of the host vehicle by the braking device 15, as driving assistance for the host vehicle.

[0020] Furthermore, the driving assistance unit 21b of this embodiment changes the level of driving assistance (collision prevention assistance) for the host vehicle depending on whether at least one of the multiple intersection positions stored in the storage unit 22 (database) is present within the target area. Specifically, when at least one intersection position is present within the target area, the driving assistance unit 21b increases the level of driving assistance for the host vehicle compared to when no intersection position is present within the target area. Examples of increasing the level of driving assistance for the host vehicle include relaxing the operating conditions for driving assistance so that driving assistance is more likely to be activated, increasing the notification level of the notification device 14, and increasing the deceleration of the host vehicle by the braking device 15. Examples of relaxing the operating conditions for driving assistance include increasing the time threshold for activating driving assistance with respect to the time to collision (TTC: Time To Collision) calculated as the collision possibility of the host vehicle.

[0021] The determination unit 21c determines a candidate point (hereinafter, may be simply referred to as a "candidate point") for specifying a position where the host vehicle intersects with a nearby vehicle. In this embodiment, the determination unit 21c determines, as the candidate point, a point where the host vehicle starts accelerating after (immediately after) decelerating to a speed threshold or below, or a point where the host vehicle stops. The speed threshold is used to detect temporary deceleration of the host vehicle to check for safety in the surrounding area, such as when turning right or left, entering another road or area, or stopping before a stop line, and may be set to 20 km / h, for example.

[0022] When it is determined that a nearby vehicle has passed through a predetermined area set for a candidate point based on the host vehicle information and the nearby vehicle information acquired by the acquisition unit 21a, the identification unit 21d identifies, as a new intersection position, a position where the travel trajectory of the host vehicle intersects with the travel trajectory of the nearby vehicle. The predetermined area, the details of which will be described later, is an area set for determining the passage of a nearby vehicle as a trigger for executing the identification of a new intersection position, and may also be understood as a passage determination area. In addition, in this embodiment, the identification unit 21d has a function as a setting unit that sets a predetermined area for the candidate point and a function as a determination unit that determines whether a nearby vehicle has passed through the predetermined area, but is not limited thereto, and a setting unit and a determination unit may be provided separately from the identification unit 21d.

[0023] When a new intersection position is identified by the identification unit 21d, the registration unit 21e registers the new intersection position in the storage unit 22 (database). The registration unit 21e may register the new intersection position identified by the identification unit 21d by adding the new intersection position to the storage unit 22 (database), or may register the new intersection position by correcting at least one of the multiple intersection positions stored in the storage unit 22 with the new intersection position. The registration unit 21e may also be understood as an update unit that updates the database of multiple intersection positions stored in the storage unit 22 based on the new intersection position identified by the identification unit 21d.

[0024] Next, a database of multiple intersection positions stored in storage unit 22 will be described. Fig. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the database of multiple intersection positions stored in storage unit 22. In the following, the database of multiple intersection positions stored in storage unit 22 may be referred to as an "intersection position database," and an intersection position registered in the intersection position database may be referred to as a "registered intersection position." Note that the intersection position database shown in Fig. 2 is merely an example, and the items included in the intersection position database can be changed as appropriate.

[0025] The intersection location database may include information regarding the intersection location ID, registration date and time, coordinates, and passing direction for each registered intersection location. The intersection location ID is an identification number for each registered intersection location. The registration date and time is the date and time when the registered intersection location was registered in the intersection location database. The coordinates are data for identifying the registered intersection location and are represented by, for example, latitude and longitude data. The coordinates may include altitude data such as elevation in addition to latitude and longitude data. The passing direction is the direction (direction, angle) in which the host vehicle was facing when passing through the registered intersection location, and may be understood as the traveling direction of the host vehicle when entering the registered intersection location (approach direction). In this embodiment, the passing direction of the host vehicle at a registered intersection location is defined as 0° north, 90° east, 180° south, and 270° west.

[0026] Here, the intersection position will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining the intersection position. As described above, the intersection position is a position where the travel path of the vehicle and the travel path of another vehicle have intersected in the past. Note that, although the present embodiment will be described taking right-hand traffic as an example, the same applies to left-hand traffic.

[0027] In the example shown in FIG. 3(a), the position where the travel path 31a of the host vehicle SV traveling straight north and the travel path 32a of the other vehicle OVa traveling straight west intersect is identified as the "intersection position CPa" and registered in the intersection position database of the storage unit 22. Note that the timing (time) at which the host vehicle SV passes the intersection position CPa is different from the timing (time) at which the other vehicle OVa passes the intersection position CPa, so no collision occurs between the host vehicle SV and the other vehicle OVa. Furthermore, the travel path 31a of the host vehicle SV is included in the host vehicle information acquired by the acquisition unit 21a via the sensor group 11 and the GNSS antenna 12 (GNSS module 23). The travel path 32a of the other vehicle OVa is included in the other vehicle information acquired by the acquisition unit 21a via the vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13 (vehicle-to-vehicle communication module 24). The other vehicle information may also be understood as nearby vehicle information because the other vehicle OVa is a nearby vehicle present around the host vehicle SV at the time of acquisition.

[0028] In the example shown in FIG. 3(b), the position where a travel path 31b of the host vehicle SV, which travels straight north and turns left, intersects with a travel path 32b of another vehicle OVb, which travels straight south, is identified as an "intersection position CPb" and registered in the intersection position database of the storage unit 22. Note that the timing (time) at which the host vehicle SV passes the intersection position CPb is different from the timing (time) at which the other vehicle OVb passes the intersection position CPb, so no collision occurs between the host vehicle SV and the other vehicle OVb. Furthermore, the travel path 31b of the host vehicle SV, like the travel path 31a, is included in the host vehicle information acquired by the acquisition unit 21a via the sensor group 11 and the GNSS antenna 12 (GNSS module 23). The travel path 32b of the other vehicle OVb, like the travel path 32a, is included in the other vehicle information (neighboring vehicle information) acquired by the acquisition unit 21a via the vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13 (vehicle-to-vehicle communication module 24).

[0029] The functions of the control device 20 can be realized by either hardware or software. For example, the functions of the control device 20 may be realized by the processing unit 21 (CPU) executing a driving assistance program and / or a learning program as described above, or may be realized by a known semiconductor device such as a PLD (Programmable Logic Device) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). In addition, although the control device 20 is shown as a single element in this embodiment, it may be divided into two or more elements as necessary.

[0030] <Driving assistance processing> The driving assistance process of this embodiment will be described below. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the driving assistance process of this embodiment. The driving assistance process shown in the flowchart of Fig. 4 is executed by the processing unit 21 in the driving assistance device 100 in accordance with a driving assistance program read from the storage unit 22. The flowchart of Fig. 4 can be repeatedly executed, for example, until the driving assistance setting is turned off or the ignition of the host vehicle SV is turned off.

[0031] In step S101, the processing unit 21 (driving assistance unit 21b) determines whether or not a registered intersection position CP exists within a target area TA ahead of the host vehicle SV by referring to a plurality of registered intersection positions CP stored in the memory unit 22. For example, the processing unit 21 can determine whether or not a registered intersection position CP exists within the target area TA by comparing the current position of the host vehicle SV acquired by the acquisition unit 21a via the GNSS antenna 12 (GNSS module 23) with the coordinates (latitude, longitude) of each registered intersection position CP stored in the memory unit 22. FIG. 5(a) shows an example in which a registered intersection position CP does not exist within the target area TA ahead of the host vehicle SV, and FIG. 5(b) shows an example in which a registered intersection position CP exists within the target area TA ahead of the host vehicle SV.

[0032] If a registered intersection position CP does not exist within the target area TA, the process proceeds to step S102, where the processing unit 21 (driving assistance unit 21b) sets the driving assistance level, which indicates the degree of driving assistance, to a first level. On the other hand, if a registered intersection position CP exists within the target area TA, the process proceeds to step S103, where the processing unit 21 (driving assistance unit 21b) sets the driving assistance level to a second level. The second level is set so that the degree of driving assistance (driving assistance level) is greater than the first level, for example, by easing the operating conditions of the driving assistance. Note that, in this embodiment, two types of driving assistance levels, the first level and the second level, are exemplified, but the number of driving assistance levels is not limited to two, and may be three or more.

[0033] In step S104, the processing unit 21 determines whether or not there is a surrounding vehicle RV. As described above, a surrounding vehicle RV is a vehicle that is currently present around the host vehicle SV. For example, the processing unit 21 can determine that there is a surrounding vehicle RV when vehicle-to-vehicle communication can be performed via the vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13 (vehicle-to-vehicle communication module 24). If it is determined that there is no surrounding vehicle RV, the processing unit 21 proceeds to step S101, and if it is determined that there is a surrounding vehicle RV, the processing unit 21 proceeds to step S105.

[0034] In step S105, the processing unit 21 (acquisition unit 21a) acquires host vehicle information and surrounding vehicle information. For example, the processing unit 21 acquires surrounding vehicle information including the current position, speed, and traveling trajectory of the surrounding vehicle RV from the surrounding vehicle RV via the vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13 (vehicle-to-vehicle communication module 24). The processing unit 21 also acquires host vehicle information including the current position, speed, and traveling trajectory of the host vehicle SV via the sensor group 11 and the GNSS antenna 12 (GNSS module 23).

[0035] In step S106, the processing unit 21 (driving assistance unit 21b) predicts the possibility of a collision between the host vehicle SV and the peripheral vehicle RV within the target area TA based on the host vehicle information and the peripheral vehicle information acquired in step S105. Next, in step S107, the processing unit 21 (driving assistance unit 21b) determines whether there is a possibility of a collision between the host vehicle SV and the peripheral vehicle RV based on the prediction result in step S106. If it is determined that there is no possibility of a collision, the process proceeds to step S101, and if it is determined that there is a possibility of a collision, the process proceeds to step S108.

[0036] In step S108, the processing unit 21 (driving assistance unit 21c) determines whether the speed of the surrounding vehicle RV is within a specified range based on the surrounding vehicle information acquired in step S105. The specified range may be set in advance by a lower limit speed value and an upper limit speed value for the speed of the surrounding vehicle RV. If the speed of the surrounding vehicle RV is equal to or less than the lower limit speed value of the specified range, the driver of the surrounding vehicle RV is likely to notice the host vehicle SV and decelerate the surrounding vehicle RV without colliding with the host vehicle SV. In other words, the lower limit speed value of the specified range for the speed of the surrounding vehicle RV may be set to a value that allows the surrounding vehicle RV to decelerate without colliding with the host vehicle SV. Furthermore, if the speed of the surrounding vehicle RV is equal to or greater than the upper limit speed value of the specified range, the surrounding vehicle RV is likely not a vehicle traveling on the road into which the host vehicle SV is entering, such as traveling on an expressway near the road into which the host vehicle SV is entering. In other words, the upper limit of the specified range for the speed of the nearby vehicle RV can be set to a value that makes it possible to distinguish whether the nearby vehicle RV is traveling on the road into which the host vehicle SV is entering or a vehicle traveling on an expressway near the road. In this way, by performing / suppressing driving assistance depending on whether the speed of the nearby vehicle RV is within the specified range, it is possible to reduce the annoyance felt by the driver of the host vehicle SV due to the driving assistance.

[0037] If it is determined in step S108 that the speed of the surrounding vehicle RV is not within a specified range, i.e., is outside the specified range, the process proceeds to step S101. That is, in this embodiment, the processing unit 21 does not provide driving assistance for the host vehicle SV if the speed of the surrounding vehicle RV is outside the specified range, regardless of the collision possibility predicted in steps S106 to S107. On the other hand, if it is determined that the speed of the surrounding vehicle RV is within the specified range, the process proceeds to step S109, and the processing unit 21 (driving assistance unit 21c) provides driving assistance for the host vehicle SV. As driving assistance for the host vehicle SV, the processing unit 21 can notify the occupants of the host vehicle SV of the possibility of a collision using the alarm device 14, or perform a braking operation for the host vehicle SV using the braking device 15.

[0038] In this way, the driving assistance device 100 of this embodiment changes the degree of driving assistance (driving assistance level) for the host vehicle SV depending on whether or not a registered intersection position CP exists within the target area TA ahead of the host vehicle SV. However, if intersection positions are not appropriately identified / registered, such as if too many intersection positions are identified / registered for points where the need for driving assistance is relatively low, or if no intersection positions are identified / registered for points where the need for driving assistance is relatively high, it may be difficult to appropriately provide driving assistance to the host vehicle SV based on the multiple registered intersection positions CP in the intersection position database.

[0039] Therefore, the driving assistance device 100 of this embodiment determines, as a candidate point, a point where the host vehicle SV starts accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or below, or a point where the host vehicle SV stops temporarily. Then, when the driving assistance device 100 determines, based on the surrounding vehicle information, that the surrounding vehicle RV has passed through a predetermined area (passage determination area) set for the candidate point, the driving assistance device 100 identifies, as a new intersection position, a position where the traveling trajectory of the host vehicle SV and the traveling trajectory of the surrounding vehicle RV intersect. That is, the driving assistance device 100 executes identification of a new intersection position when triggered by the surrounding vehicle RV passing through a predetermined area set for the candidate point. Furthermore, when the driving assistance device 100 identifies a new intersection position, the driving assistance device 100 registers the new intersection position in the storage unit 22 (intersection position database).

[0040] <Learning process for new intersection positions> The new intersection position learning process in this embodiment will be described below. The new intersection position learning process may be understood as a process of identifying a new intersection position and registering the identified new intersection position in an intersection position database. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the new intersection position learning process in this embodiment. The learning process shown in the flowchart in FIG. 6 is executed by the processing unit 21 in parallel with the flowchart in FIG. 4 according to a learning program read from the storage unit 22. The flowchart in FIG. 6 can be executed repeatedly, for example, until the ignition of the host vehicle SV is turned off. Also, FIGS. 7 to 11 are diagrams for explaining the steps of the flowchart in FIG. 6, and each of (a) and (b) shows an example of a different situation.

[0041] In step S201, the processing unit 21 determines whether or not there is a nearby vehicle RV. For example, similar to step S104 in the flowchart of Fig. 4, the processing unit 21 can determine that there is a nearby vehicle RV when vehicle-to-vehicle communication can be performed via the vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna 13 (vehicle-to-vehicle communication module 24). If it is determined that there is no nearby vehicle RV, step S201 is repeated, and if it is determined that there is a nearby vehicle RV, the processing unit proceeds to step S202.

[0042] In step S202, the processing unit 21 (acquisition unit 21a) acquires host vehicle information and surrounding vehicle information. FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) are diagrams for explaining step S202. The host vehicle information includes a travel path 33 of the host vehicle SV in addition to the current position and speed of the host vehicle SV. The surrounding vehicle information includes a travel path 34 of the surrounding vehicle RV in addition to the current position and speed of the surrounding vehicle RV. Here, as shown in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b), the travel path 34 of the surrounding vehicle RV is composed of a data string of multiple passing points 34a passed by the surrounding vehicle RV, i.e., a data string of the current position included in the surrounding vehicle information acquired so far. The multiple passing points 34a are sometimes referred to as a passage history (path history) of the surrounding vehicle RV. Note that, in the flowchart of FIG. 6, the host vehicle information and surrounding vehicle information are acquired only in step S202, but this is not limiting, and the host vehicle information and surrounding vehicle information may be acquired sequentially (periodically) during execution of the flowchart of FIG. 6.

[0043] In step S203, the processing unit 21 (determination unit 21c) determines, based on the host vehicle information acquired in step S202, whether or not there is a point where the host vehicle SV has started accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or less (including a point where the host vehicle SV has stopped temporarily). As described above, the speed threshold is used to detect that the host vehicle SV has temporarily decelerated to confirm the safety of the surrounding area, and may be set to 20 km / h, for example. If there is no point where the host vehicle SV has started accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or less, the process proceeds to step S201. On the other hand, if there is a point where the host vehicle SV has started accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or less, the process proceeds to step S204, where the processing unit 21 (determination unit 21c) determines the point as a candidate point 35 for identifying the position where the host vehicle SV and the surrounding vehicle RV intersect. FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are diagrams for explaining this step S204.

[0044] In step S205, the processing unit 21 (identification unit 21d) sets a predetermined area 40 for the candidate point 35 determined in step S204. FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) are diagrams for explaining step S205. As described above, the predetermined area 40 is an area (passage determination area) that is set to determine the passage of a nearby vehicle RV as a trigger for executing the identification of a new intersection position. In the present embodiment, the predetermined area 40 is defined as a quadrangular (U-shaped) area whose three sides are a first virtual line 41, a second virtual line 42 connected to one end point of the first virtual line 41, and a third virtual line 43 connected to the other end point of the first virtual line 41, and whose remaining side is open (open). For example, when the processing unit 21 determines that a nearby vehicle RV is present ahead of the host vehicle SV based on the nearby vehicle information acquired in step S202, it sets a predetermined area 40 that is open in the direction (forward) in which the nearby vehicle RV is present by defining a line that includes the candidate point 35 and extends in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle SV as a first virtual line 41, as shown in Figures 9(a)-(b). In this case, each of the second virtual line 42 and the third virtual line 43 may be defined as a line that extends ahead of the host vehicle SV.

[0045] On the other hand, when the processing unit 21 determines that the surrounding vehicle RV exists to the left of the host vehicle SV based on the surrounding vehicle information acquired in step S202, it sets a predetermined area 40 that is open in the direction in which the surrounding vehicle RV exists (leftward) by setting a line that includes the candidate point 35 and extends in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle SV as a second virtual line 42, as shown in Fig. 12(a). Furthermore, when the processing unit 21 determines that the surrounding vehicle RV exists to the right of the host vehicle SV based on the surrounding vehicle information acquired in step S202, it sets a predetermined area 40 that is open in the direction in which the surrounding vehicle RV exists (rightward) by setting a line that includes the candidate point 35 and extends in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle SV as a second virtual line 42, as shown in Fig. 12(b).

[0046] Here, the processing unit 21 may set the predetermined region 40 so that the second virtual line 42 and the third virtual line 43 are parallel to each other. For example, the processing unit 21 may set a rectangular region having three sides defined by the first virtual line 41, the second virtual line 42, and the third virtual line 43 as the predetermined region 40. The processing unit 21 may also set the predetermined region 40 so that the lengths of the second virtual line 42 and the third virtual line 43 are equal to or greater than the length of the first virtual line 41. For example, when the processing unit 21 determines that a peripheral vehicle RV is present ahead of the host vehicle SV, the processing unit 21 may set a rectangular region that is longer in the front-to-rear direction of the host vehicle SV than in the width direction of the host vehicle SV as the predetermined region 40. On the other hand, when the processing unit 21 determines that a peripheral vehicle RV is present to the left or right of the host vehicle SV, the processing unit 21 may set a rectangular region that is longer in the front-to-rear direction of the host vehicle SV than in the width direction of the host vehicle SV as the predetermined region 40.

[0047] In step S206, the processing unit 21 (identification unit 21d) determines whether the surrounding vehicle RV has passed through the predetermined area 40 set in step S205, based on the surrounding vehicle information acquired in step S202. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10(a) to 10(b), the processing unit 21 can determine that the surrounding vehicle RV has passed through the predetermined area 40 when the surrounding vehicle RV crosses any one of a first virtual line 41, a second virtual line 42, and a third virtual line 43 from the inside to the outside of the predetermined area 40, based on a traveling trajectory 34 of the surrounding vehicle RV included in the surrounding vehicle information. That is, the processing unit 21 can determine that the surrounding vehicle RV has passed through the predetermined area 40 when the traveling trajectory 34 of the surrounding vehicle RV intersects with any one of the first virtual line 41, the second virtual line 42, and the third virtual line 43. If it is determined that the surrounding vehicle RV has passed through the predetermined area 40, the process proceeds to step S207, and if it is determined that the surrounding vehicle RV has not passed through the predetermined area 40, the process proceeds to step S210.

[0048] Furthermore, in step S206, the processing unit 21 (identification unit 21d) may determine whether or not the host vehicle SV has also passed through the predetermined area 40, based on the host vehicle information acquired in step S202. That is, the processing unit 21 may determine whether or not both the host vehicle SV and the peripheral vehicle RV have passed through the predetermined area 40. In this case, if it is determined that both the host vehicle SV and the peripheral vehicle RV have passed through the predetermined area 40, the processing proceeds to step S207, and if it is determined that neither the host vehicle SV nor the peripheral vehicle RV has passed through the predetermined area 40, the processing proceeds to step S210.

[0049] In step S207, if there is a position where the traveling trajectory 33 of the host vehicle SV and the traveling trajectory 34 of the nearby vehicle RV intersect, the processing unit 21 (identification unit 21d) identifies the position as a new intersection position CPn, as shown in Figures 10(a) to 10(b), based on the host vehicle information and nearby vehicle information acquired in step S202. Next, in step S208, the processing unit 21 (identification unit 21d) determines whether or not a new intersection position CPn was identified in step S207. If a new intersection position CPn was identified, the process proceeds to step S209, and if a new intersection position CPn was not identified, the process proceeds to step S210.

[0050] Here, depending on the traffic conditions, it is assumed that multiple peripheral vehicles RV will pass through the predetermined area 40 set in step S205. In this case, for each of the multiple peripheral vehicles RV, the position where the traveling trajectory 33 of the host vehicle SV and the traveling trajectory 34 of the peripheral vehicle RV intersect will be identified. That is, multiple intersection positions will be identified. Therefore, when the processing unit 21 (identification unit 21d) determines that multiple peripheral vehicles RV have passed through the predetermined area 40, it may identify a representative value of the positions where the traveling trajectory 33 of the host vehicle SV intersects with each of the traveling trajectories 34 of the multiple peripheral vehicles RV, that is, a representative value of the multiple intersection positions, as the new intersection position CPn. Note that the representative value may be an average value, a median value, a mode value, or the like.

[0051] In step S209, the processing unit 21 (registration unit 21e) registers the new intersection position CPn identified in step S207 in the intersection position database (storage unit 22). For example, the processing unit 21 can register the new intersection position CPn identified in step S207 in the intersection position database by adding the new intersection position CPn to the intersection position database. Alternatively, the processing unit 21 may register the new intersection position CPn in the intersection position database by correcting the intersection position database with the new intersection position CPn identified in step S207. For example, as shown in FIGS. 11(a) to 11(b), when a new intersection position CPn is identified within a predetermined range R from at least one intersection position CPr among the multiple registered intersection positions CP in the intersection position database, the processing unit 21 can register the new intersection position CPn in the intersection position database by correcting the at least one intersection position CPr with the new intersection position CPn. An example of a correction method is to calculate a representative value between the at least one intersection position CPr and the new intersection position CPn, and register the calculated representative value as the at least one intersection position CPr. 11(a) and 11(b), only one intersection position CPr is shown as an example. The representative value may be an average value, a median value, or a mode value.

[0052] Here, in step S209, the processing unit 21 (registration unit 21e) may associate the travel trajectory 34 (a data string of the multiple pass points 34a) of the nearby vehicle RV up to the new intersection position CPn with the new intersection position CPn and register it together with the new intersection position CPn in the intersection position database based on the nearby vehicle information. Furthermore, the processing unit 21 may associate the traveling direction (passing orientation, approach direction) of the host vehicle SV when entering the new intersection position CPn with the new intersection position CPn and register it together with the new intersection position CPn in the intersection position database based on the host vehicle information. The processing unit 21 may associate the traveling direction (passing orientation, approach direction) of the nearby vehicle RV when entering the new intersection position CPn with the new intersection position CPn and register it together with the new intersection position CPn in the intersection position database based on the nearby vehicle information.

[0053] In step S210, the processing unit 21 (identification unit 21d) determines whether a cancellation condition is satisfied for canceling the setting of the predetermined area 40 for the candidate point 35 determined in step S204. In this embodiment, to reduce the calculation load of the processing unit 21, the number of settable predetermined areas 40 is limited to a specified number (for example, one). In other words, if a specified number of predetermined areas 40 have already been set, the processing unit 21 (identification unit 21d) does not set a new predetermined area 40. Therefore, in step S201, it is determined whether a cancellation condition is satisfied for canceling the setting of the predetermined area 40. The cancellation condition may include at least one of the following conditions: a new intersection position CPn has been registered in the intersection position database; the host vehicle SV has traveled a specified distance from the candidate point 35; and the elapsed time since the setting of the predetermined area 40 has exceeded a time threshold. If it is determined that the cancellation condition is not satisfied, the process proceeds to step S206; if it is determined that the cancellation condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S211. In step S211, the processing unit 21 (the specifying unit 21d) cancels the setting of the predetermined area 40.

[0054] As described above, the driving assistance device 100 of this embodiment determines the point where the host vehicle SV starts accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or less as the candidate point 35, and when it determines that the surrounding vehicle RV has passed through the predetermined area 40 set for the candidate point 35, it identifies the position where the traveling trajectory 33 of the host vehicle SV and the traveling trajectory 34 of the surrounding vehicle RV intersect as the new intersection position CPn. This makes it possible to appropriately identify (learn) the intersection position, thereby making it possible to appropriately provide driving assistance for the host vehicle SV.

[0055] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a quadrilateral (U-shaped) area with one open side is set as the predetermined area 40 in step S205 of the flowchart in FIG. 6 , but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the processing unit 21 may set a quadrilateral area with none of the four sides open, i.e., a quadrilateral area closed by the four sides, as the predetermined area 40. In this case, in step S205, the processing unit 21 sets as the predetermined area 40 a quadrilateral (preferably rectangular) area that includes the candidate location 35 and has one side defined by a virtual line extending in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle SV. As an example, in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), a first virtual line 41, a second virtual line 42, and a third virtual line 43 are defined, and in addition to these, a fourth virtual line connecting an end point of the second virtual line and an end point of the third virtual line is defined, and a quadrilateral area having the first to fourth virtual lines as its four sides is set as the predetermined area 40. Then, in step S206, the processing unit 21 can determine that the surrounding vehicle RV has passed through the specified area 40 if the surrounding vehicle RV crosses any of the four sides of the specified area 40 from the inside to the outside of the specified area 40.

[0056] <Summary of the embodiment> 1. The driving assistance device of the above embodiment is A driving assistance device (e.g., 100) has a storage means (e.g., 22) that stores a plurality of intersection positions (e.g., CPs) that indicate positions where a traveling path of a vehicle (e.g., SV) and a traveling path of another vehicle (e.g., OV) have intersected in the past, and provides driving assistance for the vehicle based on each of the plurality of intersection positions, Acquisition means (e.g., 21a) for acquiring surrounding vehicle information including a travel trajectory of a surrounding vehicle (e.g., an RV) present around the host vehicle from the surrounding vehicle through vehicle-to-vehicle communication; A determination means (e.g., 21c) that determines a point where the host vehicle starts accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or below, or a point where the host vehicle stops, as a candidate point (e.g., 35) for identifying a position where the host vehicle and the surrounding vehicle intersect; an identification means (e.g., 21d) for identifying a position where a travel path (e.g., 33) of the host vehicle intersects with a travel path (e.g., 34) of the surrounding vehicle as a new intersection position (e.g., CPn) when it is determined that the surrounding vehicle has passed through a predetermined area (e.g., 40) set for the candidate point based on the surrounding vehicle information acquired by the acquisition means; and a registration means (for example, 21e) for registering the new intersection position in the storage means when the new intersection position is identified by the identification means. According to this embodiment, a point where an intersection position between the travel trajectory of the host vehicle and the travel trajectory of a nearby vehicle should be identified (learned) is determined as a candidate point, and the intersection position is identified (learned) when a nearby vehicle passes through a predetermined area set for the candidate point. In other words, since the intersection position can be appropriately identified (learned), it is possible to appropriately perform driving assistance for the host vehicle.

[0057] 2. In the above embodiment, the predetermined area is a rectangular area having three sides defined by a first virtual line (e.g., 41), a second virtual line (e.g., 42) connected to one end point of the first virtual line, and a third virtual line (e.g., 43) connected to the other end point of the first virtual line, and the remaining side is open; The identification means when it is determined that the surrounding vehicle is present ahead of the host vehicle based on the surrounding vehicle information, a line that includes the candidate point and extends in a vehicle width direction of the host vehicle is set as the first virtual line, thereby setting the predetermined area that is open in a direction in which the surrounding vehicle is present; When the surrounding vehicle crosses any one of the first virtual line, the second virtual line, and the third virtual line from the inside to the outside of the specified area, it is determined that the surrounding vehicle has passed through the specified area. According to this embodiment, whether or not a surrounding vehicle has passed through a specified area can be accurately determined as a trigger for identifying (learning) the intersection position, thereby reducing excessive identification of the intersection position (over-learning) and non-identification of the intersection position (non-learning), and enabling the intersection position to be identified appropriately.

[0058] 3. In the above embodiment, the predetermined area is a rectangular area having three sides defined by a first virtual line (e.g., 41), a second virtual line (e.g., 42) connected to one end point of the first virtual line, and a third virtual line (e.g., 43) connected to the other end point of the first virtual line, and the remaining side is open; The identification means When it is determined that the surrounding vehicle is present to the left or right of the host vehicle based on the surrounding vehicle information, a line that includes the candidate point and extends in a vehicle width direction of the host vehicle is set as the second virtual line, thereby setting the predetermined area that is open in the direction in which the surrounding vehicle is present; When the surrounding vehicle crosses any one of the first virtual line, the second virtual line, and the third virtual line from the inside to the outside of the specified area, it is determined that the surrounding vehicle has passed through the specified area. According to this embodiment, whether or not a surrounding vehicle has passed through a specified area can be accurately determined as a trigger for identifying (learning) the intersection position, thereby reducing excessive identification of the intersection position (over-learning) and non-identification of the intersection position (non-learning), and enabling the intersection position to be identified appropriately.

[0059] 4. In the above embodiment, The identification means a rectangular area including the candidate point and having one side defined by a virtual line extending in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle as the predetermined area; When the nearby vehicle crosses any one of the four sides of the predetermined area from the inside to the outside of the predetermined area, it is determined that the nearby vehicle has passed through the predetermined area. According to this embodiment, whether or not a surrounding vehicle has passed through a specified area can be accurately determined as a trigger for identifying (learning) the intersection position, thereby reducing excessive identification of the intersection position (over-learning) and non-identification of the intersection position (non-learning), and enabling the intersection position to be identified appropriately.

[0060] 5. In the above embodiment, The specifying means sets the predetermined area so that the length of the second virtual line and the length of the third virtual line are equal to or greater than the length of the first virtual line. According to this embodiment, the predetermined area can be set appropriately.

[0061] 6. In the above embodiment, The identification means cancels the setting of the predetermined area for the candidate point when the new intersection position is registered in the storage means by the registration means or when the vehicle has traveled a specified distance from the candidate point. According to this embodiment, by canceling the setting of the used predetermined area, it is possible to reduce the calculation load related to identifying (learning) the intersection position.

[0062] 7. In the above embodiment, The specifying means does not set a new predetermined area when a specified number of the predetermined areas have already been set. According to this embodiment, the number of settable predetermined areas is limited to a specified number, thereby reducing the computational load related to identifying (learning) the intersection position.

[0063] 8. In the above embodiment, The registration means registers, in the storage means, a travel path of the nearby vehicle up to the new intersection position, in association with the new intersection position, based on the nearby vehicle information. According to this embodiment, it becomes possible to use the travel trajectories of surrounding vehicles in driving assistance for the vehicle that will be executed later based on the new intersection position registered in the intersection position database.

[0064] 9. In the above embodiment, The registration means registers in the storage means, based on the travel path of the vehicle, the direction in which the vehicle was facing when it entered the new intersection position, in association with the new intersection position. According to this embodiment, the direction (approach direction) in which the vehicle was facing when entering a new intersection position can be registered as a registration item in the intersection position database together with the new intersection position, so that when assisting the vehicle in driving, the intersection position according to the approach direction (travel direction) of the vehicle can be appropriately utilized.

[0065] 10. In the above embodiment, When the new intersection position is identified within a predetermined range (e.g., R) from at least one intersection position (e.g., CPr) among the multiple intersection positions stored in the storage means, the registration means registers the new intersection position in the storage means by correcting the at least one intersection position with the new intersection position. According to this embodiment, when there is a registered intersection position that exists near a new intersection position among the multiple registered intersection positions in the intersection position database, the new intersection position is prevented from being registered separately from the registered intersection position, and the intersection position database can be appropriately updated so as to reduce the amount of data in the intersection position database.

[0066] 11. In the above embodiment, When the identification means determines that multiple surrounding vehicles have passed through the specified area, it identifies the representative value of the position where the driving trajectory of each of the multiple surrounding vehicles intersects with the driving trajectory of the vehicle itself as the new intersection position. According to this embodiment, the registration of a new intersection location in the intersection location database for each surrounding vehicle that passes through the same specified area is avoided, and the intersection location database can be appropriately updated so as to reduce the amount of data in the intersection location database.

[0067] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 11: Sensor group, 12: GNSS antenna, 13: Vehicle-to-vehicle communication antenna, 14: Notification device, 15: Braking device, 20: Control device, 21: Processing unit, 22: Storage unit, 23: GNSS module, 23: Vehicle-to-vehicle communication module, 100: Driving assistance device

Claims

1. A driving assistance device having a storage means for storing a plurality of intersection positions each indicating a position where a travel path of a vehicle and a travel path of another vehicle have intersected in the past, and providing driving assistance for the vehicle based on each of the plurality of intersection positions, an acquisition means for acquiring surrounding vehicle information including travel trajectories of surrounding vehicles present around the host vehicle from the surrounding vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle communication; a determining means for determining a point where the host vehicle starts accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or below, or a point where the host vehicle stops, as a candidate point for identifying a position where the host vehicle and the surrounding vehicle intersect; an identification means for identifying, when it is determined based on the surrounding vehicle information acquired by the acquisition means that the surrounding vehicle has passed through a predetermined area set for the candidate point, a position where a travel path of the host vehicle and a travel path of the surrounding vehicle intersect as a new intersection position; a registering means for registering the new intersection position in the storage means when the identifying means identifies the new intersection position; A driving assistance device comprising:

2. the predetermined area is a quadrilateral area having three sides defined by a first virtual line, a second virtual line connected to one end point of the first virtual line, and a third virtual line connected to the other end point of the first virtual line, and the remaining side being open; The identification means when it is determined that the nearby vehicle is present ahead of the host vehicle based on the nearby vehicle information, a line that includes the candidate point and extends in a vehicle width direction of the host vehicle is set as the first virtual line, thereby setting the predetermined area that is open in a direction in which the nearby vehicle is present; 2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the device determines that the surrounding vehicle has passed through the specified area when the surrounding vehicle crosses any of the first virtual line, the second virtual line, and the third virtual line from the inside to the outside of the specified area.

3. the predetermined area is a quadrilateral area having three sides defined by a first virtual line, a second virtual line connected to one end point of the first virtual line, and a third virtual line connected to the other end point of the first virtual line, and the remaining side being open; The identification means When it is determined based on the surrounding vehicle information that the surrounding vehicle is present to the left or right of the host vehicle, a line that includes the candidate point and extends in a vehicle width direction of the host vehicle is set as the second virtual line, thereby setting the predetermined area that is open in the direction in which the surrounding vehicle is present; 2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the device determines that the surrounding vehicle has passed through the specified area when the surrounding vehicle crosses any of the first virtual line, the second virtual line, and the third virtual line from the inside to the outside of the specified area.

4. The identification means a rectangular area including the candidate point and having one side along a virtual line extending in a vehicle width direction of the vehicle as the predetermined area; 2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the device determines that the nearby vehicle has passed through the predetermined area when the nearby vehicle crosses any of the four sides of the predetermined area from the inside to the outside of the predetermined area.

5. 4. The driving assistance device according to claim 2, wherein the specifying unit sets the predetermined area so that the length of the second virtual line and the length of the third virtual line are equal to or greater than the length of the first virtual line.

6. 5. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the specifying means cancels the setting of the predetermined area for the candidate point when the new intersection position is registered in the storage means by the registration means or when the vehicle has traveled a specified distance from the candidate point.

7. 5. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein the specifying unit does not set a new predetermined area when a specified number of the predetermined areas have already been set.

8. 5. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the registration means registers in the storage means a travel path of the nearby vehicle up to the new intersection position in association with the new intersection position based on the nearby vehicle information.

9. 5. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the registration means registers in the storage means, based on a travel path of the vehicle, a direction in which the vehicle was facing when entering the new intersection position, in association with the new intersection position.

10. 5. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein, when the new intersection position is identified within a predetermined range from at least one intersection position among the plurality of intersection positions stored in the storage means, the registration means registers the new intersection position in the storage means by correcting the at least one intersection position with the new intersection position.

11. The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, when it is determined that multiple surrounding vehicles have passed through the specified area, the identification means identifies a representative value of the position where the driving trajectory of each of the multiple surrounding vehicles intersects with the driving trajectory of the vehicle as the new intersection position.

12. A driving assistance method in which a computer performs driving assistance for a host vehicle based on a plurality of intersection positions each indicating a position where a travel path of the host vehicle and a travel path of another vehicle have intersected in the past, the method comprising: an acquisition step of acquiring surrounding vehicle information including travel trajectories of surrounding vehicles present around the host vehicle from the surrounding vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle communication; a determining step of determining a point where the host vehicle starts accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or below, or a point where the host vehicle stops, as a candidate point for identifying a position where the host vehicle and the surrounding vehicle intersect; an identification step of identifying, as a new intersection position, a position where a travel trajectory of the host vehicle and a travel trajectory of the surrounding vehicle intersect when it is determined that the surrounding vehicle has passed through a predetermined area set for the candidate point based on the surrounding vehicle information acquired in the acquisition step; a registration step of registering the new intersection position when the new intersection position is identified in the identification step; A driving assistance method comprising:

13. A program for causing a computer to execute a driving assistance method for providing driving assistance for a host vehicle based on a plurality of intersection positions each indicating a position where a travel path of the host vehicle and a travel path of another vehicle have intersected in the past, the program comprising: The driving assistance method includes: an acquisition step of acquiring surrounding vehicle information including travel trajectories of surrounding vehicles present around the host vehicle from the surrounding vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle communication; a determining step of determining a point where the host vehicle starts accelerating after decelerating to a speed threshold or below, or a point where the host vehicle stops, as a candidate point for identifying a position where the host vehicle and the surrounding vehicle intersect; an identification step of identifying, as a new intersection position, a position where a travel trajectory of the host vehicle and a travel trajectory of the surrounding vehicle intersect when it is determined that the surrounding vehicle has passed through a predetermined area set for the candidate point based on the surrounding vehicle information acquired in the acquisition step; a registration step of registering the new intersection position when the new intersection position is identified in the identification step; Including, the program.

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