Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program capable of performing more appropriate vehicle control according to a surrounding situation of a vehicle for an occupant.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device comprises: a recognition section that recognizes a surrounding situation of a host vehicle; a driving state detection section that detects a driving state of an occupant of the host vehicle; and a control section that executes steering control of moving the host vehicle to a center of a traveling lane when it is determined that an obstacle is present in front of the host vehicle on the basis of the surrounding situation, and stops the steering control of moving the host vehicle to the center of the traveling lane when a steering amount of the occupant detected by the driving state detection section is equal to or greater than a threshold. The control section changes the threshold according to whether a steering direction of the occupant is a forward direction or a backward direction with respect to steering by the steering control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants have been gaining momentum. To achieve this, efforts are being focused on research and development to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of preventive safety technologies. In this regard, in recent years, technologies have been disclosed that gently brake the vehicle so that the object is included in the camera detection range when it is determined that there is a possibility of the vehicle approaching an object, and that estimate whether or not a collision will occur between the vehicle behind and the obstacle when the vehicle avoids the obstacle by either changing lanes or steering, and determine the avoidance action based on the estimated collision (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-200929 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-151185 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in preventive safety technology, vehicle behavior that alerts vehicle occupants to their surroundings before implementing control to avoid contact between the vehicle and an object has not been considered. As a result, there has been a problem in the past where occupants are unable to control the vehicle appropriately depending on the circumstances around the vehicle.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one of the objects of the present application is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program that can provide more appropriate vehicle control to occupants in accordance with the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, a driving state detection unit that detects the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, and a control unit that, when it is determined that an obstacle is present in front of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions, executes steering control to move the vehicle to the center of a driving lane, and stops steering control to move the vehicle to the center of the driving lane when the steering amount of the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit is equal to or greater than a threshold, and the control unit is a vehicle control device that changes the threshold depending on whether the steering direction of the occupant is in the forward direction or the reverse direction relative to the steering by the steering control.

[0007] (2): In the above aspect (1), the thresholds include a first threshold set for the forward direction and a second threshold set for the reverse direction, and the second threshold is set to a value smaller than the first threshold.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (2), the control unit is configured to be able to perform lane keeping control, which performs steering control to keep the vehicle within the driving lane, and when the steering amount of the occupant during the lane keeping control is equal to or greater than a third threshold, the control unit stops the lane keeping control, and the first threshold is set to a value closer to the third threshold than the second threshold.

[0009] (4) Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method in which a computer recognizes the surrounding conditions of a vehicle, detects the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, and, if it is determined based on the surrounding conditions that an obstacle is present in front of the vehicle, executes steering control to move the vehicle to the center of the driving lane, and, if the steering amount of the occupant is equal to or greater than a threshold, stops the steering control to move the vehicle to the center of the driving lane, and changes the threshold depending on whether the steering direction of the occupant is in the forward direction or the reverse direction relative to the steering by the steering control.

[0010] (5): Another aspect of the present invention provides a program that causes a computer to recognize the surrounding conditions of a vehicle, detect the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, and, if it is determined based on the surrounding conditions that an obstacle is present ahead of the vehicle, execute steering control to move the vehicle to the center of the driving lane, and, if the steering amount of the occupant is equal to or greater than a threshold, stop the steering control to move the vehicle to the center of the driving lane, and change the threshold depending on whether the steering direction of the occupant is in the forward direction or the reverse direction relative to the steering by the steering control. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the above aspects (1) to (5), it is possible to provide the occupant with more appropriate vehicle control in accordance with the surrounding conditions of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a host vehicle M on which a vehicle control device according to a first embodiment is installed. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the content of vehicle control relating to contact avoidance. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the details of attention-attraction control. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a first activation determination of the attention drawing control. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a second activation determination of the attention drawing control. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the content of contact warning control. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining adjustment of a target position depending on whether or not an accelerator pedal is operated. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the content of automatic steering avoidance control. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining steering control after a driver steering trigger. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram for explaining the conditions for the speed of the host vehicle M under which control is started for each operation phase. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the content of override control for gradual deceleration control. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the opening degree of the accelerator pedal 84 and the rate of change in override determination. [Figure 13] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100 in the first embodiment. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process for deriving a contact margin value. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of an override control process for the gradual deceleration control. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a first example of centering steering control in the second embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second example of the centering steering control in the second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a third example of the centering steering control in the second embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a fourth example of the centering steering control in the second embodiment. [Figure 20] 10 is a diagram for explaining a concept based on the lateral position of an object and the host vehicle M. FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a condition for executing override control during centering steering control. [Figure 22]6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100 in the second embodiment. [Figure 23] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of an override control process during centering steering control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0014] (First embodiment) [Overall configuration] 1 is a configuration diagram of a host vehicle M equipped with a vehicle control device according to a first embodiment. The host vehicle M may be, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source may be an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0015] The host vehicle M is equipped with, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driver monitor camera 70, driving operators 80, a driving assistance device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other via multiple communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, serial communication lines, a wireless communication network, etc. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and some of the configuration may be omitted, or other configurations may be added. The driving assistance device 100 is an example of a "vehicle control device."

[0016] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is attached to any location on the vehicle M. When capturing an image of the front, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield, the back of the rearview mirror, or the like. The camera 10, for example, periodically and repeatedly captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle M. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0017] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle M and detects radio waves reflected by an object (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device 12 is attached to any location on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 may detect the position and speed of an object using an FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

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

[0019] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 directly to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the host vehicle M. Some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, and the object recognition device 16 are examples of "external environment detection devices."

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

[0021] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display unit 32 and a speaker 34. The display unit 32 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device. The display unit 32 displays various images (including videos) in the embodiment. The display unit 32 may be configured integrally with the input unit as a touch panel. The speaker 34 outputs a predetermined sound (for example, an alarm). Furthermore, the HMI 30 may include, in addition to (or instead of) the display unit 32 and the speaker 34, a microphone, a buzzer, a vibration generator (vibrator), a touch panel, a switch, a key, or the like.

[0022] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the yaw rate (for example, the rotational angular velocity around a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the host vehicle M), a direction sensor that detects the orientation of the host vehicle M, and a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of the host vehicle M (which may be the angle of the steering wheels or the operating angle of the steering wheel). The vehicle sensor 40 may also be provided with a position sensor that detects the position of the host vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. The position sensor may also be a sensor that acquires position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50.

[0023] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 identifies the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be identified or supplemented by an inertial navigation system (INS) that uses the output of the vehicle sensors 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may share some or all of the components with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter, a route on a map) from the position of the vehicle M identified by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52, with reference to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is information that represents road shapes using, for example, links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 54 may also include information such as road curvature and POI (Point of Interest) information. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be realized, for example, by the functions of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet device carried by the occupant. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current position and destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0024] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61 and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into a plurality of blocks (for example, every 100 m in the vehicle travel direction) and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the number of lanes from the left in which to travel. Furthermore, when a branch point is present on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the recommended lane so that the host vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route to the branch point. The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes, lane boundary information such as road dividing lines that divide lanes, etc. The second map information 62 may include road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices. The first map information 54 and the second map information 62 may be stored in a storage unit within the driving assistance device 100.

[0025] The driver monitor camera 70 is, for example, a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitor camera 70 is attached to any location on the vehicle M in a position and orientation that allows it to capture an image of the head and upper body (including the position of the hands) of an occupant (hereinafter referred to as the driver) seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle M from the front (in an orientation that captures the face). For example, the driver monitor camera 70 is attached to the top of a display device provided in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M. The driver monitor camera 70 outputs an image of the interior of the vehicle, including the driver of the vehicle M, captured from its installed position to the driving assistance device 100.

[0026] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82, an accelerator pedal 84, a brake pedal 86, a turn signal switch, a shift lever, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to the driving assistance device 100 or some or all of the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0027] For example, the steering wheel 82 is provided with a steering wheel sensor (SW sensor) 82A. The SW sensor 82A detects whether or not the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82. The SW sensor 82A also detects the amount of operation of the steering wheel 82 by the driver (amount of steering torque, steering amount). The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be annular, and may be in the form of an irregularly shaped steering wheel, a joystick, buttons, or the like. In this case, the SW sensor 82A detects the amount of operation according to the respective form.

[0028] An accelerator pedal sensor (AP sensor) 84A is attached to the accelerator pedal 84. The AP sensor 84A detects the amount of operation (opening) of the accelerator pedal 84, which changes in response to the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal 84. A brake pedal sensor (BP sensor) 86A is provided to the brake pedal 86. The BP sensor 86A detects the amount of operation (opening) of the brake pedal 86, which changes in response to the driver's operation of the brake pedal 86.

[0029] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) to the driving wheels for driving the host vehicle M. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, etc., and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU controls the above components in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0030] Braking device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and an ECU. The ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from driving assistance device 100 or information input from driving operator 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. Braking device 210 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operation of a brake pedal included in driving operator 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that braking device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from driving assistance device 100 to transmit hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0031] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steered wheels in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0032] [Driving assistance devices] The driving assistance device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a driving state detection unit 120, a contact possibility determination unit 130, a control unit 140, an HMI control unit 150, and a storage unit 160. The recognition unit 110, the driving state detection unit 120, the contact possibility determination unit 130, the control unit 140, and the HMI control unit 150 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Furthermore, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as an HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) into a drive device. The HMI control unit 150 is an example of a "notification control unit."

[0033] For example, settings are made within the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 so that instructions from the driving support device 100 to the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 are executed with priority over detection results from the driving operator 80. Regarding braking, if the braking force based on the operation amount of the brake pedal 86 is greater than the instruction from the driving support device 100, the latter may be set to be executed with priority. Furthermore, communication priority in an in-vehicle local area network (LAN) may be used as a mechanism for executing instructions from the driving support device 100 with priority.

[0034] The storage unit 160 may be realized by the various storage devices described above, or a solid state drive (SSD), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a read only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM). The storage unit 160 stores, for example, programs and various other information. The storage unit 160 may also store the map information described above (first map information 54, second map information 62).

[0035] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M based on information input from an external environment detection device. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position, speed, acceleration, and other status of objects present in the vicinity (e.g., within a predetermined distance from the host vehicle M). Examples of objects include other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc. The position of an object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the host vehicle M (e.g., the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of an object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by an area. The "state" of an object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or the "behavior state" (e.g., whether or not the object is changing lanes or is about to change lanes). The recognition unit 110 also recognizes the relative position and relative speed of the object.

[0036] The recognition unit 110 also recognizes, for example, the lane in which the host vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the driving lane by comparing the pattern of road dividing lines (e.g., an arrangement of solid and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with the pattern of road dividing lines around the host vehicle M recognized from an image captured by the camera 10. The recognition unit 110 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including not only road dividing lines but also road dividing lines, shoulders, curbs, medians, guardrails, etc. This recognition may take into account the position of the host vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and processing results by the INS. The recognition unit 110 recognizes obstacles, stop lines, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena from the object recognition results. Obstacles are objects that the host vehicle M must avoid contacting, and include, for example, other vehicles.

[0037] When recognizing the driving lane, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the deviation of the reference point of the host vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle it forms with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the host vehicle M as the relative position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the reference point of the host vehicle M with respect to either side edge of the driving lane (a road dividing line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane.

[0038] The driving state detection unit 120 detects a predetermined driving state of an occupant (driver) of the host vehicle M. The predetermined driving state is, for example, a mindless driving state. Mindless driving is a state in which the driver's driving operation of the host vehicle M becomes slow (or does not operate) due to a decrease in the driver's attention, etc. For example, the driving state detection unit 120 detects the driver's mindless driving state when the steering operation of the steering wheel 82 by the driver remains below a threshold (a determination threshold TH1 described later) for a predetermined time or more based on the detection result of the SW sensor 82A. Alternatively, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect the driver's mindless driving state when the change in the opening degree of the accelerator pedal 84 and the brake pedal 86 remains below a threshold for a predetermined time or more based on the detection results of the AP sensor 84A and the BP sensor 86A. Note that the above-mentioned predetermined time may be variably set depending on, for example, the speed of the host vehicle M, the margin of safety before the host vehicle M comes into contact with an obstacle (e.g., another vehicle), etc. This allows for a more appropriate determination of absentminded driving to be made based on the speed of the host vehicle M and the positional relationship between the host vehicle M and the obstacle. Note that the predetermined time may be a fixed time.

[0039] Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect that the driver is in a careless driving state when it is determined that the state of the driver detected based on the analysis result of the image captured by the driver monitor camera 70 is not suitable for driving. A state that is not suitable for driving is, for example, when the driver is not monitoring the surroundings (particularly the front) of the vehicle M due to looking away, or when it is predicted that the driver's concentration is declining based on facial expressions (a face that looks sleepy, a face that looks pained), etc.

[0040] Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect the details of the driver's driving operation. For example, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect the driver's steering amount (torque amount of steering torque) based on the detection result of the SW sensor 82A, may detect the operation (opening degree) of the accelerator pedal 84 based on the detection result of the AP sensor 84A, or may detect the operation (opening degree) of the brake pedal 86 based on the BP sensor 86A. Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect a state in which the driver is not driving.

[0041] The contact possibility determination unit 130 recognizes whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle (e.g., another vehicle) based on the surrounding conditions (external environment information) recognized by the recognition unit 110. For example, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle based on a contact margin value with respect to another vehicle (leading vehicle) present ahead of the host vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions. The contact margin value is, for example, a value set based on a time to collision (TTC), but may also be a value set based on a time headway (THW). The time to collision (TTC) is derived, for example, by dividing the relative distance by the relative speed in the relationship between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle. Furthermore, the time headway (THW) is derived, for example, by dividing the relative distance (inter-vehicle distance) by the speed of the host vehicle M. The time to contact TTC may be derived using, for example, a trained model or a predetermined function that outputs the time to contact TTC when the positions and speeds of the host vehicle M and the other vehicle are input, or may be derived using a correspondence table that associates the relative speed and relative position with the time to contact TTC. The above derivation method also applies to the time to headway THW. For example, the shorter the time to contact TTC (or the time to headway THW), the smaller the contact margin value (in other words, the longer the contact margin time, the larger the contact margin value). For example, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle when the contact margin value is less than a threshold, and determines that there is no possibility of contact when the contact margin value is equal to or greater than the threshold.

[0042] The control unit 140 controls one or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M based on at least one of the recognition result of the recognition unit 110, the detection result of the driving state detection unit 120, and the determination result of the contact possibility determination unit 130. The control unit 140 includes, for example, a braking control unit 142 and a steering control unit 144.

[0043] When it is determined based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110 that an obstacle is present ahead of the host vehicle M, the braking control unit 142 performs at least deceleration control of the host vehicle M based on a target deceleration of the host vehicle M. Furthermore, the braking control unit 142 performs braking control of the host vehicle M in accordance with a driving operation by the driver of the host vehicle M (hereinafter, driver operation) or regardless of the operation. For example, the braking control unit 142 sets a deceleration state based on a contact margin value between the host vehicle M and the obstacle, and executes deceleration control based on the set deceleration state. The braking control unit 142 includes, for example, a gradual deceleration control unit 142A and a contact avoidance braking control unit 142B.

[0044] The gradual deceleration control unit 142A performs gradual deceleration control of the host vehicle M when the recognition unit 110 determines that an obstacle (e.g., another vehicle) is present ahead of the host vehicle M. The gradual deceleration control is control (attention control) for alerting the driver to the approach of another vehicle by deceleration, and is different from contact avoidance control for avoiding contact with the obstacle (however, it may result in avoiding contact with the obstacle). For example, when it is determined that an obstacle is present ahead of the host vehicle M, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A derives a target deceleration for the host vehicle M and decelerates the host vehicle M to approach the derived target deceleration without the driver's operation. Furthermore, the gradual deceleration control may be performed when the driving state detection unit 120 detects that the driver is driving absentmindedly, or may be performed when the contact margin value satisfies the operating condition for the gradual deceleration control.

[0045] Furthermore, the slow deceleration control unit 142A may stop the slow deceleration control when the driving state detection unit 120 detects that the driver has operated the accelerator (operated the accelerator pedal 84) at a predetermined value (for example, a predetermined amount) or more during the slow deceleration control. In this way, by determining the driver's intention based on the accelerator operation, it is possible to execute a more appropriate override control (switching to manual driving by the driver) for the slow deceleration control. The predetermined value (predetermined amount) may be changed based on the operation speed of the driver's accelerator operation. For example, the slow deceleration control unit 142A may set the predetermined value smaller when the operation speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined speed than when the operation speed is less than the predetermined speed, and set the predetermined value larger when the operation speed is less than the predetermined speed than when the operation speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined speed. Furthermore, the slow deceleration control unit 142A may change the predetermined value according to the target deceleration, for example, and set the predetermined value larger as the target deceleration increases. This allows for more appropriate override determination to be achieved according to the driver's driving situation and the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M.

[0046] The contact avoidance braking control unit 142B performs emergency braking control to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle. For example, when it is determined that the host vehicle M may come into contact with an obstacle based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110, the contact avoidance braking control unit 142B performs braking control (deceleration control) to avoid contact. The braking control performed by the contact avoidance braking control unit 142B includes, for example, a Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS) control that assists in contact avoidance or damage mitigation. The braking control performed by the contact avoidance braking control unit 142B may be performed, for example, after gradual deceleration control, or may be performed when the contact margin value satisfies the operating conditions for the braking control.

[0047] The steering control unit 144 controls the steering of the host vehicle M. The steering control unit 144 includes, for example, a centering steering control unit 144A and a contact avoidance steering control unit 144B. When the recognition unit 110 determines that an obstacle exists ahead of the host vehicle M, the centering steering control unit 144A executes steering control (centering steering control) to move the host vehicle M toward the center of the driving lane. This steering control is not intended to avoid contact with the obstacle, but is intended to make the driver aware of the obstacle ahead and call his or her attention by the vehicle behavior of moving laterally toward the center (however, it may result in avoiding contact with the obstacle). This steering control can make the driver aware of the obstacle ahead early, contributing to driving to avoid contact. Note that the centering steering control may be executed when the driving state detection unit 120 detects that the driver is driving absentmindedly, or when the contact margin value satisfies the operating condition of the steering control. Furthermore, the above-described gradual deceleration control and centering steering control may be executed separately, or may be executed simultaneously at the same timing (for example, at the attention-attraction control stage).

[0048] The contact avoidance steering control unit 144B performs steering control of the host vehicle M to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle. For example, when avoidance is possible within the driving lane of the host vehicle M, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B performs a steering operation to move the host vehicle M in a direction that will not contact the obstacle within a range that does not deviate from the same lane, without relying on a steering operation by the driver. Furthermore, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B may perform steering control of the host vehicle M so that the behavior of the host vehicle M after the avoidance operation is stable after the driver's steering operation causes the host vehicle M to cross a dividing line that separates the driving lane and perform an avoidance operation against the obstacle. The steering control performed by the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B may be performed, for example, after a centering steering control, or may be performed when the contact margin value satisfies the operating condition of the steering control.

[0049] The control unit 140 may execute control other than the vehicle control described above. For example, the control unit 140 may perform steering control to keep the host vehicle M within the driving lane as LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance System) control (lane maintenance control). In this case, the control unit 140 assists the driver in steering the host vehicle M by controlling the steering device 220 so that the host vehicle M does not deviate from the driving lane, for example.

[0050] The HMI control unit 150 notifies the occupants (including the driver) of predetermined information via the HMI 30. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the driving of the vehicle M, such as information related to the state of the vehicle M and information related to driving control. The information related to the state of the vehicle M includes, for example, the speed of the vehicle M, engine speed, shift position, etc. The information related to driving control includes, for example, the type of driving control being executed (e.g., gradual deceleration, centering steering control, contact avoidance braking control, contact avoidance steering control), the reason for activation of the driving control, the status of the driving control, etc. The information related to driving control may also include information related to alerts and warnings issued to the driver. The predetermined information may also include information related to the current location and destination of the vehicle M, the remaining amount of fuel, etc., and may also include information unrelated to driving control of the vehicle M, such as television programs, content (e.g., movies) stored on a storage medium such as a DVD, etc.

[0051] For example, the HMI control unit 150 may generate an image including the above-described predetermined information and display the generated image on the display unit 32 of the HMI 30, or may generate sound indicating the predetermined information and output the generated sound from the speaker 34 of the HMI 30. The timing at which the sound is output may be, for example, when driving control is started or stopped, when a call is received, when the image to be displayed is switched, or when the vehicle M enters a predetermined state. The HMI control unit 150 may also output information received by the HMI 30 to the control unit 140, etc.

[0052] [Control Unit] Next, details of vehicle control by the control unit 140 will be described. Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the content of vehicle control related to contact avoidance. The example of Fig. 2 shows the content of vehicle control when it is determined that there is a possibility of contact based on the time to contact TTC. In the example of Fig. 2, it is assumed that time T1 is the earliest, followed by times T2, T3, T4, and T5 in that order.

[0053] First, it is assumed that the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle at time T1 in Fig. 2. When it is determined that there is a possibility of contact, the control unit 140 performs attention drawing control ((1) in the figure) to draw the driver's attention to the surroundings (particularly the traveling direction) based on the contact margin time TTC and the detection result of the driving state detection unit 120.

[0054] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the details of attention-calling control. The example of FIG. 3 shows lanes L1 and L2 that can be traveled in the same direction (X-axis direction in the figure). Lane L1 is defined by road dividing lines LN1 and LN2, and lane L2 is defined by road dividing lines LN2 and LN3. In the example of FIG. 3, the host vehicle M is traveling on lane L1 at a speed VM, and a vehicle (leading vehicle) m1 traveling ahead of the host vehicle M is traveling on lane L1 ahead of the host vehicle M at a speed Vm1. In the following description, the other vehicle m1 is assumed to be an obstacle.

[0055] 3, the control unit 140 performs the attention-calling control when the time to contact TTC (contact margin value) based on the relative position and relative speed between the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1 reaches a time T2 that is equal to or less than a first predetermined value (predetermined time) and the driver is detected as being careless. The time T2 is a value that is set, for example, when the time to contact TTC is between about 3 and 4 seconds, but may be variably set based on the relative speed, relative position, road shape, etc.

[0056] The attention calling control includes, for example, at least one of the slow deceleration control by the slow deceleration control unit 142A and the centering steering control by the centering steering control unit 144A. The slow deceleration control executed in the attention calling control is control in a first deceleration state. The slow deceleration control unit 142A sets a target deceleration (first target deceleration) so that a load (longitudinal G) of a first upper limit deceleration (approximately 0.1 [G]) is applied to the driver in the traveling direction (longitudinal direction). In addition, in the attention calling control (first deceleration state), the slow deceleration control unit 142A may first perform the slow deceleration control at a first deceleration rate (for example, longitudinal G of 0.05 [G]), and then perform the deceleration control at a second deceleration rate (for example, longitudinal G of 0.1 [G]) that is greater than the first deceleration rate. By controlling the deceleration rate to increase in stages in this manner, the burden on occupants such as the driver when the slow deceleration control begins to be executed can be reduced, and the occupants can be prevented from being surprised by the slow deceleration control.

[0057] Furthermore, in the attention-attracting control, the centering steering control unit 144A performs centering steering control to steer the host vehicle M toward the center of the driving lane (lane L1). Details of the centering steering control will be described later (second embodiment). In the example of Fig. 3, the control unit 140 generates a future target trajectory K1 of the host vehicle M corresponding to gradual deceleration and centering steering control, and controls the steering and speed of the host vehicle M so that the host vehicle M travels along the target trajectory K1.

[0058] At time T2, the HMI control unit 150 may generate an image indicating the reason for activation of the driver's attention-reminding control (gradual deceleration, centering steering control), and notify the driver by displaying the generated image on the display unit 32 (however, no audio output is provided). This notifies the driver of the approaching obstacle, urging the driver to take caution, and prompts the occupant to take early avoidance action.

[0059] Here, when the activation determination is made using the time to contact TTC, there is a possibility that the attention warning control cannot be performed at the appropriate timing when the relative speed between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 is 0 (zero). Also, if the other vehicle m1 decelerates or the host vehicle M accelerates, the activation timing may be delayed. Therefore, in the first embodiment, in the control that performs the gradual deceleration or centering steering control, the position of the other vehicle m1 before or after a predetermined time is estimated, a contact margin value is derived for the estimated position, and an activation determination of the attention warning control such as the gradual deceleration control or the centering steering control is made. Below, several examples of the activation determination of the attention warning control will be described. Also, in the following description, it is assumed that the contact margin value is set based on the time to headway THW.

[0060] [First operation determination] Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining a first activation determination of attention calling control. The example of Fig. 4 shows the state of the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1 traveling on a lane L1 divided by road dividing lines LN1 and LN2. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, in deriving the inter-vehicle time THW between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1, the control unit 140 derives a contact margin value between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 on the assumption that the position of the other vehicle m1 is at a position after a first predetermined time, and makes a first determination as to whether or not to execute contact avoidance control (for example, attention calling control) based on the derived contact margin value.

[0061] In the example of FIG. 4 , the control unit 140 assumes the position of the other vehicle m1 after a first predetermined time based on the speed Vm1 of the other vehicle m1, and calculates the time headway THW based on the inter-vehicle distance D1 between the assumed position and the host vehicle M and the speed VM of the host vehicle M. The control unit 140 then determines to execute the attention warning control if the contact margin value based on the calculated inter-vehicle distance THW is less than a threshold, and determines not to execute the attention warning control if the contact margin value is equal to or greater than the threshold. In this way, according to the first determination, the contact margin value is derived with a margin of distance equivalent to the first predetermined time, so that the attention warning control (gradual deceleration control, centering steering control) can be activated with a certain degree of margin. This allows the occupants to more reliably recognize a dangerous situation. Furthermore, the attention warning control can be executed early even in a situation where the inter-vehicle distance becomes unintentionally short.

[0062] [Second operation determination] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a second activation determination of the attention warning control. In the second activation determination, the inter-vehicle distance D2 and speed (the speed VM# of the host vehicle M) after a second predetermined time are estimated based on the position and speed VM of the host vehicle M and the position and speed Vm1 of the other vehicle m1 recognized by the recognition unit 110, a contact margin value is derived based on the estimation result, and a second determination is made as to whether or not to execute contact avoidance control (e.g., attention warning control) based on the derived contact margin value. That is, the control unit 140 calculates the inter-vehicle time THW based on the inter-vehicle distance D2 after the second predetermined time and the speed VM# of the host vehicle M. Then, the control unit 140 determines to execute the attention warning control if the contact margin value based on the calculated inter-vehicle time THW is less than a threshold, and determines not to execute the attention warning control if the contact margin value is equal to or greater than the threshold. The second activation determination can reduce the possibility of delaying vehicle control or notification, for example, even if the other vehicle m1 suddenly decelerates.

[0063] Here, the second predetermined time is, for example, about 1 second, but is not limited to this. Also, the first predetermined time is, for example, a time shorter than the second predetermined time (for example, about 0.5 seconds). This makes it possible to prevent only the position of the other vehicle m1 from deviating significantly from the actual position, thereby enabling more appropriate activation determination.

[0064] Returning to Fig. 2, when the time to contact TTC (contact margin value) becomes less than a predetermined value (predetermined time) at time T3 in a state where the driver does not call attention to those around him / her (or perform override control) even after the above-mentioned attention calling control is performed, and the driver is detected as being careless driving, the contact attention warning control ((2) in the figure) is performed. Time T3 is the time when the time to contact TTC becomes approximately 2 seconds, for example.

[0065] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the details of the contact warning control. FIG. 6 shows a situation in which the time to contact TTC becomes 2 seconds without the driver operating the accelerator pedal in the situation shown in FIG. 3. In the contact warning control stage, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A sets a target deceleration (second target deceleration) and executes gradual deceleration control according to the set second target deceleration. Alternatively, a target trajectory K2 for executing the gradual deceleration control may be generated and the host vehicle M may be controlled to travel along the generated target trajectory K2. The gradual deceleration control executed in the contact warning control is control in the second deceleration state. In the second deceleration state, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A sets the target deceleration (second target deceleration) so that the driver is subjected to a load (longitudinal G) in the traveling direction (longitudinal direction) that is equal to or less than a second upper limit deceleration (approximately 0.2 G) and greater than the first upper limit deceleration. This makes it possible to more clearly notify the driver that the host vehicle M is approaching another vehicle m1. In this way, deceleration control is performed while increasing the deceleration rate as needed, which creates more time for the driver to notice the other vehicle m1, allowing the driver to drive with ease to avoid contact with the other vehicle m1.

[0066] Here, when deceleration is performed by the attention call control or the contact warning control, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A may adjust the target deceleration or the position at which deceleration by the target deceleration is completed (for example, the target stop position of the host vehicle M) based on the detection result of the AP sensor 84A, depending on whether or not an accelerator operation by the driver of the host vehicle M is detected. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining adjustment of the target position depending on whether or not an accelerator operation is performed. For example, when an accelerator operation by the driver is detected, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A sets a position (first target position P1) that slightly overlaps with the main body area when viewed from above of the other vehicle m1 (for example, several tens of centimeters forward from the rear end), and sets a first target deceleration that completes deceleration before the host vehicle M reaches the first target position P1. The first target position P1 is set behind the other vehicle m1 in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, if no accelerator operation by the driver is detected, a target position (second target position P2) is set behind the first target position P1 (in other words, on the side of the host vehicle M or in front of the host vehicle M), and a second target deceleration is set that completes deceleration before the host vehicle M reaches the second target position P2. By performing deceleration based on the above-mentioned target deceleration, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A can suppress excessive deceleration and can allow the driver to intervene in the deceleration operation as much as possible.

[0067] During the contact warning control, in addition to (or instead of) the gradual deceleration control, the centering steering control may be executed by the centering steering control unit 144A as described above. During the contact warning control, the HMI control unit 150 may execute control (alarm escalation control) to highlight the image of the warning information displayed on the display unit 32 or to output a warning to the speaker 34. This notifies the driver that there is a high possibility of contact while decelerating, and makes it possible to more clearly call the driver's attention and prompt the driver to take action to avoid contact.

[0068] Returning to FIG. 2, at time T4 when it is determined that automatic avoidance is possible within the driving lane after the execution of the contact attention warning control, the steering control unit 144 executes automatic steering avoidance control ((3) shown in FIG. 2). FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the content of the automatic steering avoidance control. The example of FIG. 8 is, for example, control when the driver does not operate the accelerator after the execution of the contact attention warning control. In this case, if an avoidance space exists within the driving lane, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B generates a target trajectory K3 for traveling through the avoidance space based on the area of ​​the driving lane and the position of the other vehicle m1, and executes steering control (speed control as necessary) so that the host vehicle M travels along the generated target trajectory K3. Furthermore, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B may perform acceleration / deceleration control in addition to steering control. Furthermore, during the automatic steering avoidance control, the HMI control unit 150 may continue to execute the above-mentioned warning escalation control. As a result, when steering avoidance is possible with highly safe control, more appropriate vehicle control can be achieved by executing automatic steering control.

[0069] At this timing, the contact avoidance braking control unit 142B may execute the CMBS control in parallel. When the CMBS control is executed, the above-mentioned automatic steering avoidance control and the contact avoidance steering control described later do not need to be executed.

[0070] 2, at time T5 when the driver operates the steering wheel 82 (detects the driver steering trigger) to perform a steering operation in a direction to avoid the other vehicle m1, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B performs contact avoidance steering control so as to prevent the vehicle from further departing from the adjacent lane (lane L2) adjacent to the driving lane (lane L1) ((4) in FIG. 2). The contact avoidance steering control may be performed after the automatic steering avoidance control or after the contact attention warning control.

[0071] FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining steering control after a driver steering trigger. In the example of FIG. 9, when there is no space in the host vehicle lane L1 to avoid contact of the host vehicle M with another vehicle m1 and a driver steering trigger (a steering amount of the steering wheel 82 by the driver equal to or greater than a threshold) is detected, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B allows the host vehicle M to move from the lane L1 to the adjacent lane L2 and performs steering control of the host vehicle M so that the host vehicle M does not further deviate from the adjacent lane L2. For example, a target trajectory K4 for changing lanes to the lane L2 is generated, and steering assistance is performed so that the position of the host vehicle M approaches the target trajectory K4 through a steering operation by the driver. Furthermore, during contact avoidance steering control, the HMI control unit 150 may continue to perform the above-described warning escalation control. This allows for more appropriate vehicle control after emergency avoidance steering is performed by the driver's steering operation.

[0072] Furthermore, when the time to contact TTC approaches the limit value immediately after the attention-calling control shown in (1) of Fig. 2 and the driver performs a steering operation, the control unit 140 executes contact avoidance steering control (driver steering assist control) ((5) of Fig. 2) to prevent the vehicle from crossing further into the adjacent lane, similar to the control shown in (4) of Fig. 2. In this case, the HMI control unit 150 may perform notification control such as a notification that the steering assist is operating or an alarm.

[0073] In addition, in each of the above-described operation phases of the attention warning, contact warning, automatic steering avoidance, and contact avoidance steering, a condition related to the speed of the host vehicle M may be added to the determination conditions for operation. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the speed conditions of the host vehicle M for starting control in each operation phase. For example, in contact avoidance steering control in automatic steering avoidance and contact avoidance steering (steering assistance), one of the operation start conditions is that the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 40 [km / h] or more. Since this control is performed after the attention warning, a contact margin time TTC of approximately 2 [seconds] is sufficient to allow contact to be avoided by the driver's braking operation. Furthermore, the centering steering control in the attention warning and contact warning is controlled to be performed when the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 30 [km / h] or more. Furthermore, the gradual deceleration control in the attention warning and contact warning is controlled to be performed when the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 30 [km / h] or more if the accelerator pedal is operated (AP operation). This speed is below the steering avoidance limit speed and is within a range where there is a performance margin for CMBS control, so by setting this condition, more appropriate driving control can be achieved. Furthermore, when there is no AP operation, control is performed when the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 5 km / h or higher. In other words, when the driver's AP operation is not detected, the speed is set lower than when AP operation is detected. In this way, by relaxing the start condition for the gradual deceleration control when there is no AP operation, it is possible to perform the gradual deceleration control in various situations, including aimless driving in traffic congestion, and it is possible to more safely avoid contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1.

[0074] [About override control] The gradual deceleration control in the above-mentioned warning and collision warning may be stopped midway through the gradual deceleration control by a predetermined operation by the driver. Hereinafter, the above content will be described as override control for gradual deceleration. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the content of override control for gradual deceleration control. The example of FIG. 11 shows the respective states of the host vehicle M, the driver, and vehicle control over time when the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1, which is a preceding vehicle, are present on the lane L1 as shown in FIG. 3, etc. In the example of FIG. 11, it is assumed that time T11 is the earliest, followed by time T12, T13, T14, and T15 in that order.

[0075] The period from time T11 to time T12 shown in Fig. 11 is a state in which the driver is determined to be in a distracted state. During this period, the driver operates the accelerator and the host vehicle M travels at a constant speed (longitudinal G is 0 (zero)). In addition, no information is output to the HMI 30, and deceleration control is not executed.

[0076] After time T12, the control unit 140 performs the gradual deceleration control because the execution conditions for the gradual deceleration control are satisfied. In this case, longitudinal G caused by gradual deceleration occurs in the host vehicle M. Also, at this stage, a notification (image display only) of the reason for the operation is output to the HMI 30. In the example of FIG. 11, the driver feels the longitudinal G caused by gradual deceleration with his / her body and recognizes the notification content output by the HMI 30, thereby recognizing the area ahead of the host vehicle M and determining the next action (driving operation).

[0077] At time T13, the driver performs an accelerator operation to accelerate the host vehicle M while the gradual deceleration control is being executed. At this point, the accelerator operation is not performed by more than a predetermined amount, so the gradual deceleration control continues, and the HMI 30 continues to output the operation reason notification. Then, at time T14 when the accelerator operation becomes more than the predetermined amount, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A stops the gradual deceleration control. Thereafter, the host vehicle M accelerates according to the accelerator opening amount due to manual driving by the driver, and longitudinal G is generated due to the acceleration. As a result, override control for the gradual deceleration is executed. Note that in the example of FIG. 11, the accelerator operation is kept constant after time T14, so the host vehicle M accelerates to a speed corresponding to the accelerator operation after the override, and reaches a constant speed when the speed VM corresponds to the accelerator opening amount (time T15). Note that after the override control is executed, notifications such as warnings and alarms from the HMI 30 are also terminated, and the gradual deceleration control is not executed until the next execution condition for gradual deceleration is met.

[0078] The braking control unit 142 stops the gradual deceleration control when the driving state detection unit 120 detects an accelerator operation of a predetermined value or more, but the predetermined value may be changed depending on the accelerator operation speed of the accelerator operation.

[0079] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the relationship between the accelerator pedal 84 opening and the rate of change in override determination. The example in FIG. 12 shows the AP opening and the AP opening change rate in two patterns. In each pattern, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the AP opening and the AP opening change rate. For example, in pattern 1, if the predetermined opening ΔOP (e.g., about 3-5%) is opened for a time ΔT1 of about 3-4 seconds, it can be considered that there is a possibility that the driver did not intend to stop the gradual deceleration control that was being performed at that time. In contrast, as shown in pattern 2, if the predetermined opening ΔOP is opened for a short time ΔT2 (e.g., about 1 second), it can be considered that this is a reaction to the gradual deceleration control. Based on the above-mentioned concept, whether or not to perform override control for the gradual deceleration control is determined based on the rate of change when the predetermined opening is opened for a predetermined time.

[0080] For example, as in pattern 2, the braking control unit 142 makes an override determination based on whether or not an AP operation amount of 3 to 5% is performed when the rate of change of the AP opening is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (for example, in 0.5 to 1 second). Alternatively, the braking control unit 142 may execute override control when the AP operation amount increases by 10 to 20% or more with the AP opening at the start of control as a reference, without depending on the rate of change of the AP opening. The braking control unit 142 may also change the threshold used to determine whether or not to perform override control depending on the deceleration of gradual deceleration. In this case, the threshold is set lower the smaller the deceleration (or higher the greater the deceleration). The braking control unit 142 may also determine whether or not to perform override control based on whether an AP opening change rate or AP opening has occurred that produces acceleration required to cancel out the deceleration due to gradual deceleration.

[0081] The braking control unit 142 may also set the predetermined value small when the speed at which the driver operates the accelerator is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed, and set the predetermined value large when the speed at which the driver operates the accelerator is less than the predetermined speed. In this way, by determining the driver's intention from the driver's accelerator operation speed, a more appropriate override decision can be made during gradual deceleration. By making an override decision when the AP opening change rate is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (3 to 5%), an override decision can be made in a short time, which can accommodate drivers who operate the AP quickly. By making an override decision when the AP operation amount increases by 10 to 20% or more (10 to 20%) based on the AP opening at the start of control, an override decision can be made even when an override decision cannot be made based on AP operation in a short time. This can accommodate drivers who operate the AP slowly. By changing the override decision threshold according to the deceleration during gradual deceleration (e.g., target deceleration) (e.g., lowering the threshold if the deceleration is small and increasing the threshold if the deceleration is large), the decision threshold can be changed according to the deceleration, which can be tailored to the driver's driving sensation.

[0082] [First embodiment: processing flow] Fig. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100 in the first embodiment. In the example of Fig. 13, processing executed by the driving assistance device 100, particularly processing related to gradual deceleration control, will be described.

[0083] In the example of FIG. 13, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding situation of the host vehicle M (step S100). Next, the driving state detection unit 120 detects the driving state of the occupant (driver) of the host vehicle M (step S110). The driving state detection unit 120 determines whether the driving state of the driver is absentminded driving or not (step S120). If it is determined that the driver is absentminded driving, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines whether or not another vehicle m1 (an example of an obstacle) is present ahead of the host vehicle M (step S130). If it is determined that another vehicle m1 is present ahead, a contact margin value between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 is derived (step S140). The processing of step S140 will be described in detail later.

[0084] Next, the slow deceleration control unit 142A determines whether the contact margin value satisfies the activation condition for the slow deceleration control (in other words, the execution condition for the attention calling control) (step S150). If it is determined that the activation condition is satisfied, the slow deceleration control unit 142A derives a target deceleration based on the detection result of the accelerator operation of the driver detected by the driving state detection unit 120 (step S160). Next, the slow deceleration control unit 142A executes the slow deceleration control according to the derived target deceleration (step S170). This ends the processing of this flowchart. Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S120 that the driver is not driving aimlessly, if it is determined in the processing of step S130 that there is no other vehicle ahead, or if it is determined in the processing of step S150 that the contact margin value does not satisfy the activation condition for the slow deceleration control, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0085] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for deriving a contact margin value. The process shown in FIG. 14 shows details of the process of step S140. In the process of FIG. 14, the contact possibility determination unit 130 calculates a contact margin value (first margin value) between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 with the other vehicle m1 positioned at a position after a first predetermined time (step S141). Next, the contact possibility determination unit 130 performs a first contact determination as to whether or not the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 will contact each other based on the first margin value (step S142). Next, the contact possibility determination unit 130 estimates the inter-vehicle distance and relative speed between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 after a second predetermined time (step S143), calculates a contact margin value (second margin value) between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 based on the estimation result (step S144), and performs a second contact determination as to whether or not the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 will contact each other based on the calculated second margin value (step S145). The contact margin value derivation process may involve only one of the processes of steps S141 to S142 (first process) and the processes of steps S143 to S145 (second process). When both the first process and the second process are performed, the first predetermined time may be set to be shorter than the second predetermined time.

[0086] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of an override control process for the gradual deceleration control. In the example of FIG. 15, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M (step S200). Next, the driving state detection unit 120 detects the driving state of the driver (step S210). Next, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A determines whether or not an accelerator operation of a predetermined amount or more has been received during gradual deceleration (step S220). If it is determined that an accelerator operation of a predetermined amount or more has been received, the gradual deceleration control is stopped (step S230). This ends the process of this flowchart. Furthermore, if it is determined in the process of step S220 that an accelerator operation of a predetermined amount or more has not been received during the gradual deceleration control, the process of this flowchart ends. Note that the predetermined amount in the process of step S220 may be adjusted according to, for example, the accelerator operation speed of the driver.

[0087] As described above, according to the first embodiment, more appropriate vehicle control can be performed for occupants depending on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle. For example, according to the first embodiment, in the attention alert control, the target deceleration is changed depending on whether or not the driver's accelerator operation is detected, and gradual deceleration control is performed according to the changed target deceleration. This notifies the occupants of the approach of an obstacle and prompts the occupants to alert them and decelerate. Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, by further increasing the deceleration rate in the contact attention warning control, the occupants can be made aware of the high possibility of contact with an obstacle while decelerating, and the occupants can be prompted to decelerate. Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, by performing gradual deceleration control when the driver is driving absentmindedly, unnecessary attention alerts can be suppressed, and more appropriate vehicle control can be achieved for the driver.

[0088] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, for example, during the slow deceleration control that is activated before the CMBS control is activated, the override threshold is changed depending on the operation speed of the accelerator pedal 84, thereby determining the intention of the occupant from the AP operation speed of the driver and making a more appropriate override determination. Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the override determination is made depending on the rate of change in the accelerator pedal opening, thereby making it possible to make a determination in a short time and accommodate drivers who perform AP operation quickly. Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the accelerator pedal opening at the start of the slow deceleration control is used as a reference, and override control is executed when the subsequent operation amount increases by more than a predetermined amount, making it possible to accommodate drivers who perform AP operation slowly. Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the determination threshold is changed depending on the deceleration, making it possible to make an override determination that matches the driving sensation of the driver.

[0089] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, by calculating the time to contact by revising the position of the leading vehicle to a position a first predetermined time later in the inter-vehicle time between the host vehicle and the leading vehicle, even if the leading vehicle suddenly decelerates when the relative speed is the same and the inter-vehicle distance is short, gradual deceleration or centering can be initiated with ample time. Furthermore, the vehicle occupants can be made aware of a dangerous situation early on. By estimating the inter-vehicle distance and relative speed between the host vehicle and the leading vehicle a second predetermined time later and calculating the time to contact based on the estimation result, the possibility of delays in vehicle control or notification when the leading vehicle suddenly decelerates can be reduced. This makes it possible to respond to deceleration of the leading vehicle when the inter-vehicle distance is short or sudden deceleration of the leading vehicle, and to respond to sudden deceleration of the leading vehicle when the inter-vehicle distance is short.

[0090] (Second embodiment) In the first embodiment described above, the deceleration control for avoiding contact with an object has been mainly described, but in the second embodiment, the steering control of the host vehicle M will be mainly described. Note that the second embodiment can apply a configuration similar to that of the host vehicle M described in the first embodiment. Therefore, in the following, the functional configuration of the host vehicle M shown in FIG. 1 will be used, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0091] In the second embodiment, the centering steering control unit 144A executes centering steering control to steer the host vehicle M toward the center of the driving lane when the recognition unit 110 determines that an obstacle (e.g., another vehicle m1) is present ahead of the host vehicle M. Hereinafter, several examples of the centering steering control will be described.

[0092] (First Example) Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a first example of centering steering control in the second embodiment. The example in Fig. 16 shows the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1, which is a preceding vehicle, traveling on a lane L1 defined by road dividing lines LN1 and LN2. For example, when the host vehicle M approaches an obstacle ahead, the centering steering control unit 144A generates a target trajectory K5 for positioning the host vehicle M at the center CL1 of the lane, and performs steering control so that the host vehicle M travels along the generated target trajectory K5.

[0093] In this way, by steering the host vehicle M to the lane center CL1, if the driver is not aware of an obstacle ahead, the change in the lateral behavior of the host vehicle M (in the width direction of the traveling lane) can make the driver aware of the obstacle ahead, which can contribute to avoiding contact with the obstacle ahead. Note that the steering control in the attention alert control is a behavior intended to prompt the driver to monitor the surroundings, and is therefore different from the steering control for the host vehicle M to avoid the other vehicle m1. However, in the steering control in the first embodiment, the host vehicle M is steered in a direction away from the other vehicle m1, making it easier for the driver to perform subsequent avoidance driving.

[0094] (Second Example) FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a second example of the centering steering control in the second embodiment. The example in FIG. 17 schematically illustrates a case where another vehicle m1 is located near the lane center CL1 as viewed from the host vehicle M, or on the opposite side of the host vehicle M across the lane center CL1 (in the same lane, outside the lane center CL). In this case, the centering steering control unit 144A does not perform steering control to move the host vehicle M to the lane center CL. In this case, the control unit 140 may generate a target trajectory K6 for traveling along one of the road dividing lines LN1 and LN2, which is closer to the host vehicle M, and control the host vehicle M to travel along the generated target trajectory K6. In this case, the control unit 140 may perform LKAS control to prevent the host vehicle M from deviating from the traveling lane. In the second example, when steering control to move the host vehicle M to the center of the traveling lane is not performed, the control unit 140 may perform deceleration control (e.g., gradual deceleration control) of the host vehicle M.

[0095] (Third Example) 18 is a diagram showing a third example of the centering steering control in the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 18, in the third example, regardless of the position of the other vehicle m1 on the lane L1 (near the center of the lane, near each road dividing line that divides the lane L1), if the host vehicle M is present within the lane center error range, the centering steering control unit 144A generates a target trajectory K7 for moving the host vehicle M to the lane center CL1, and performs steering control so that the host vehicle M travels on the generated target trajectory K7. In this way, the lateral movement behavior of the host vehicle M can alert the driver to the presence of a preceding vehicle.

[0096] (Fourth Example) 19 is a diagram showing a fourth example of the centering steering control in the second embodiment. In the fourth example, when another vehicle m1 is present within a predetermined range (error range) of the host vehicle M in the width direction of the driving lane, steering control is executed to move the host vehicle M toward the center of the driving lane. As shown in FIG. 19, in the fourth example, when the lateral positions of the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 are close (when the relative relationship cannot be determined), the centering steering control unit 144A generates a target trajectory K8 so that the host vehicle M moves toward the lane center CL1, and controls the steering, etc. of the host vehicle M so that the host vehicle M travels along the generated target trajectory K8.

[0097] In the fourth embodiment, positioning the host vehicle M in the lane center CL1 results in steering in a direction approaching the other vehicle m1, but the steering control for warning the driver is intended to make the driver aware of the other vehicle, and is different from steering control for avoiding contact with the other vehicle m1. By performing this control, the host vehicle M is positioned in the center of the lane L1 at the time the driver is made aware of the other vehicle, and therefore, in subsequent manual driving, it is possible to not only decelerate the host vehicle M but also select either the left or right direction to facilitate steering operation.

[0098] [Centering judgment] Here, the lateral positional relationship (in the width direction of the traveling lane) between the host vehicle M and an object (another vehicle or the center of the lane) that determines whether or not to execute centering steering control will be described. FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining a concept based on the lateral position of the object and the host vehicle M. The example of FIG. 20 shows the relationship between the rear end projection plane of an object such as another vehicle and the lateral position of the host vehicle M on the road. The lane center error range is set, for example, such that the lateral distance W1 between the center (center) CM of the host vehicle M and the lane center CL1 is approximately 0.3 to 0.5 m to the left and right of the lane center CL1. This is because, in a typical lane, the host vehicle M is considered to be located roughly near the lane center CL1 up to a distance W of approximately 0.5 m. However, at 0.5 m, the host vehicle M may be leaning toward one of the road dividing lines. Therefore, if the distance W1 is within approximately 0.3 m, the host vehicle M is determined to be located within the lane center error range.

[0099] Furthermore, if the error range between the center CM of the host vehicle M and the center Cm1 of the object is within 0.2 to 0.3 m, it is determined that the lateral positions of the host vehicle M and the object are close, and the host vehicle M is steered to the center CL1 of the lane. Here, the host vehicle M may sway within a range of ±0.2 m during steering control, which also causes errors in the accuracy of external recognition. Therefore, it is considered that a lateral deviation of approximately 0.2 m between the host vehicle M and the object is an area that cannot be used for judgment, and the distance W2 is set with a lower limit of 0.2 m. Furthermore, if this value is increased, the object will be centered even if it is clearly located within a range where the lateral position of the host vehicle M overlaps with that of the object and does not require centering. Therefore, by setting the distance W2 for determining whether the lateral positions are close to each other with an upper limit of approximately 0.3 m, a more appropriate judgment can be made.

[0100] [Override control for centering steering control] It should be noted that the above-described centering steering control may be stopped and switched to manual driving by the driver if a predetermined condition is satisfied by the driver's steering operation during execution of the centering steering control. The contents of override control for the centering steering control will be specifically described below. FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining the conditions for executing override control during centering steering control. The example of FIG. 21 shows the relationship between the steering angle of the host vehicle M and the torque characteristics of the steering wheel 82, with the horizontal axis representing the steering angle of the host vehicle M and the vertical axis representing the torque amount (steer torque) of the steering wheel 82. The example of FIG. 21 also shows a determination threshold TH1 for determining whether or not the vehicle is driving aimlessly, a determination threshold TH2 (an example of a first threshold) for overriding steering in the forward direction during centering steering control, and a determination threshold TH3 (an example of a second threshold) for overriding steering in the reverse direction (opposite direction) during centering steering control. The forward direction refers to, for example, a case where the direction of the torque amount (steer torque) of the steering wheel 82 is the same as the direction of rotation of the steering wheel 82. The reverse direction refers to, for example, a case where the direction of the torque amount (steer torque) of the steering wheel 82 is opposite to the direction of rotation of the steering wheel 82.

[0101] The threshold value TH1 for determining whether or not the vehicle is driving aimlessly is set to a steering torque that is smaller than the steering angle at which the direction of the vehicle M changes. This makes it possible to determine whether the vehicle is driving aimlessly before the direction of the vehicle M changes.

[0102] Furthermore, during centering steering control, the centering steering control unit 144A executes override control to stop the centering steering control when the driver's steering torque (steering amount) is equal to or greater than a threshold value. In making a determination to execute this override control (hereinafter referred to as override determination), the centering steering control unit 144A changes the threshold value depending on whether the driver's steering direction is forward or backward relative to the steering by the centering steering control. In this way, by making override determination after taking into account the driver's intention from the steering direction of the steering wheel 82, it is possible to make a more appropriate override determination during centering steering control.

[0103] For example, the determination threshold value TH2 for steering in the forward direction is reverse A determination threshold value TH3 for steering in the opposite direction is set to be smaller than the determination threshold value TH2 for steering in the opposite direction. This makes it possible to take into consideration the driver's intention that goes against the centering steering control, and to make a more appropriate override determination for centering. Furthermore, by setting the determination threshold value TH3 for steering in the opposite direction to be larger than the determination threshold value TH2, a more appropriate override can be realized by taking into consideration the driver's intention that does not go against the steering control, or a state in which the driver is steering due to being dragged by the steering by the centering steering control.

[0104] The override determination for centering steering is applied, for example, from the start of centering steering control due to attention warning control to contact attention warning control. Furthermore, the determination threshold TH3 for steering in the reverse direction may correspond to, for example, a determination threshold for override of LKAS control (an example of a third threshold). Furthermore, the determination threshold TH2 for steering in the forward direction may correspond to, for example, a determination threshold for override of automatic steering avoidance control or contact avoidance steering control (an example of a fourth threshold). For example, when the control unit 140 cancels LKAS control when the driver's steering torque (steering amount) during LKAS control is equal to or greater than the third threshold, the control unit 140 sets the determination threshold TH2 (first threshold) to a value closer to the third threshold than the determination threshold TH3 (second threshold). By setting the determination threshold TH2 to a value closer to (corresponding to) a determination threshold for override of other driving assistance (existing driving control), it becomes easier for the driver to grasp the amount of operation required for override.

[0105] [Second embodiment: processing flow] Fig. 22 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100 in the second embodiment. In the example of Fig. 22, processing relating to centering steering control in particular will be described among the processing executed by the driving assistance device 100. Furthermore, the processing of steps S300 to S340 shown in Fig. 22 is similar to the processing of steps S100 to S140 shown in Fig. 13, and therefore description thereof will be omitted here.

[0106] In the example of FIG. 22 , after calculating the contact margin value, the centering steering control unit 144A determines whether the contact margin value satisfies the activation condition for centering steering control (step S350). If it is determined that the activation condition is satisfied, it determines whether the other vehicle m1 is located closer to the center of the driving lane than the host vehicle M or on the opposite side of the lane center (within the same lane) based on the positional relationship between the other vehicle m1 and the host vehicle M recognized by the recognition unit 110 (step S360). If it is determined that the other vehicle m1 is not located closer to the center of the driving lane than the host vehicle M or on the opposite side of the lane center, the centering steering control unit 144A executes centering steering control to steer the host vehicle M toward the center of the driving lane (step S370). Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S360 that the other vehicle m1 is located closer to the center of the driving lane than the host vehicle M or on the opposite side of the lane, the centering steering control unit 144A causes the host vehicle M to travel along the closer lane marking (in other words, does not steer toward the center) (step S380). This completes the processing of this flowchart.

[0107] Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S320 that the vehicle is not driving aimlessly, if it is determined in the processing of step S330 that there is no other vehicle ahead, or if it is determined in the processing of step S350 that the contact margin value does not satisfy the activation conditions for centering steering control, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0108] FIG. 23 is a flowchart showing an example of override control processing during centering steering control. In the example of FIG. 23, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M (step S400). Next, the driving state detection unit 120 detects the driving state of the driver (step S410). Next, the centering steering control unit 144A determines whether the steering amount (steer torque amount) of the steering wheel 82 by the driver during centering steering control is equal to or greater than a threshold (step S420). If it is determined that the steering amount is equal to or greater than the threshold, the centering steering control unit 144A stops the centering steering control (step S430). Also, if it is determined in the processing of step S420 that the steering amount is not equal to or greater than the threshold, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0109] As described above, according to the second embodiment, more appropriate vehicle control can be provided to the occupant in accordance with the surrounding circumstances of the vehicle. For example, according to the second embodiment, when the host vehicle M approaches an obstacle ahead, steering to the center of the lane allows the occupant to notice the obstacle ahead if the occupant has not noticed it, thereby contributing to avoidance of contact with the obstacle ahead. Furthermore, by steering toward the center of the lane when the host vehicle M is within the lane center error range, even if another vehicle is near the center of the lane, steering assistance toward the center of the lane can be provided, thereby increasing the likelihood that the occupant will notice the obstacle from the vehicle behavior if the occupant has not noticed the obstacle. Furthermore, when an obstacle is present on the side of the road dividing line relative to the host vehicle M, steering toward the center of the lane can assist in avoiding the obstacle. Furthermore, when the lateral positions of the host vehicle and the obstacle are close (the relative relationship cannot be determined), steering toward the center of the lane can assist in avoiding the obstacle. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, when an obstacle is present on the lane center side or on the opposite side of the lane center from the host vehicle M, steering along the lane marking closer to the host vehicle M (centering steering is not performed) enables more appropriate steering assistance according to the situation. Even when the host vehicle M is clearly far from the obstacle, deceleration can increase the likelihood that an occupant will notice the obstacle from the vehicle behavior if they have not noticed it. Furthermore, by performing centering steering control when it is determined that the vehicle is driving absentmindedly, attention-attention control is performed only for drivers who are not driving absentmindedly, thereby suppressing unnecessary control.

[0110] Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, in override control for centering steering control, steering override determination is performed after taking into account the occupant's intention from the driver's steering operation direction, thereby making it possible to make a more appropriate override determination during centering. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, by setting a first threshold value for the forward direction and a second threshold value for the reverse direction and setting the second threshold value to a higher value than the first threshold value, it is possible to take into account the occupant's intention to go against the steering control, and it is possible to make a more appropriate override determination during centering. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to take into account the occupant's intention to go against the steering control, and further, by setting the override threshold value equivalent to the driving assistance during normal times, it becomes easy for the occupant to grasp the operation amount required for override.

[0111] [Variations] Each of the first and second embodiments may be combined with at least a part of the other embodiments. For example, centering steering control may be executed in conjunction with the execution of gradual deceleration control for alerting the driver. Furthermore, one of gradual deceleration control and centering steering control may be selected and executed depending on the road conditions, the position and number of surrounding vehicles, etc. For example, if it is determined that the driver is driving aimlessly, gradual deceleration control and centering steering control may be executed, and if it is determined that the driver is not driving aimlessly, either gradual deceleration control or centering steering control may be executed. Furthermore, gradual deceleration control may be executed when centering steering control is not executed (for example, when the vehicle M is driven along a road dividing line) or when the vehicle M moves in a direction approaching another vehicle m1 by performing centering steering control. In this way, appropriate vehicle control can be performed depending on the driver's state.

[0112] In the above-described embodiment, the gradual deceleration control and the centering steering control may be performed without determining whether the driver is driving absentmindedly. The numerical values ​​shown in the above-described embodiment are merely examples, and may be adjusted as appropriate depending on the road conditions (shape, number of lanes, road type), the driver's driving conditions (degree of absentmindedness), the vehicle conditions (speed, vehicle type, shape, number of passengers), etc.

[0113] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions; a processor connected to the storage medium; The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: Recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle, Detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined that an obstacle exists ahead of the host vehicle based on the surrounding conditions, a steering control is executed to move the host vehicle to the center of the traveling lane; When the steering amount of the occupant is equal to or greater than a threshold, the steering control for moving the vehicle to the center of the driving lane is stopped, The threshold value is changed depending on whether the steering direction of the occupant is in the forward direction or the reverse direction with respect to the steering by the steering control. Vehicle control device.

[0114] The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 10...camera, 12...radar device, 14...LIDAR, 16...object recognition device, 20...communication device, 30...HMI, 40...vehicle sensor, 50...navigation device, 60...MPU, 70...driver monitor camera, 80...driving operator, 82...steering wheel, 84...accelerator pedal, 86...brake pedal, 100...driving assistance device, 110...recognition unit, 120...driving state detection unit, 130...contact possibility determination unit, 140...control unit, 142...braking control unit, 144...steering control unit, 150...HMI control unit, 160...memory unit, 200...driving force output device, 210...brake device, 220...steering device, M...host vehicle

Claims

1. a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; a driving state detection unit that detects a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; a control unit that, when it is determined that an obstacle exists ahead of the host vehicle based on the surrounding conditions, executes steering control to move the host vehicle to the center of a driving lane, and when the steering amount of the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit is equal to or greater than a threshold, stops steering control to move the host vehicle to the center of the driving lane, The control unit changes the threshold value depending on whether the steering direction of the occupant is a forward direction or a reverse direction with respect to the steering by the steering control. Vehicle control device.

2. the threshold value includes a first threshold value set for the forward direction and a second threshold value set for the reverse direction, The second threshold is set to a value greater than the first threshold. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

3. the control unit is configured to be able to perform lane keeping control to perform steering control so as to keep the host vehicle within a driving lane, and to stop the lane keeping control when a steering amount of the occupant during the lane keeping control is equal to or greater than a third threshold value; The first threshold value is set to a value closer to the third threshold value than the second threshold value. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 .

4. The computer Recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle, Detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined that an obstacle exists ahead of the host vehicle based on the surrounding conditions, a steering control is executed to move the host vehicle to the center of the traveling lane; When the steering amount of the occupant is equal to or greater than a threshold, the steering control for moving the vehicle to the center of the driving lane is stopped, The threshold value is changed depending on whether the steering direction of the occupant is in the forward direction or the reverse direction with respect to the steering by the steering control. Vehicle control method.

5. On the computer, Recognize the surrounding situation of your vehicle, Detecting the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined that an obstacle exists ahead of the host vehicle based on the surrounding conditions, a steering control is executed to move the host vehicle to the center of a traveling lane; When the steering amount of the occupant is equal to or greater than a threshold, the steering control for moving the vehicle to the center of the driving lane is stopped, The threshold value is changed depending on whether the steering direction of the occupant is in the forward direction or the reverse direction with respect to the steering by the steering control. program.

Images