Driving assistance device and method for providing driving assistance

Abstract

To relatively easily realize driving assistance advantageous to stabilization of traveling in ACC.SOLUTION: A driving assistance device that can be mounted on a saddle-riding type vehicle comprises: first detection means for detecting the vehicle speed of the saddle-riding type vehicle; second detection means for detecting a forward running vehicle traveling in front of the saddle-riding type vehicle; and control means for performing acceleration control and braking control of the saddle-riding type vehicle. When the vehicle speed of the saddle-riding vehicle is lower than a reference, the control means performs follow-up driving on the forward traveling vehicle by performing acceleration control simultaneously with the braking control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates mainly to an in-vehicle driving assistance device. [Background technology]

[0002] One type of driving assistance that assists a part or all of the driving operation is to assist the driving of the vehicle so that the vehicle follows the vehicle ahead, and such a technology can be called ACC (adaptive cruise control) or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2023 / 067705 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned ACC, it is possible that the speed of a vehicle in front may change unexpectedly / irrespective of the vehicle itself. Patent Document 1 describes stabilizing the vehicle behavior by individually controlling the front and rear brakes while the motorcycle is turning, but does not take into account the relationship with the vehicle in front.

[0005] The present invention was made in response to the recognition of the above-mentioned problems, and an exemplary object of the present invention is to relatively easily realize driving assistance that is advantageous for stabilizing driving in ACC. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a driving assistance device, A driving assistance device that can be mounted on a saddle-ride type vehicle, a first detection means for detecting a vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle; a second detection means for detecting a leading vehicle traveling in front of the saddle riding type vehicle; The time interval between the vehicle ahead and the saddle-ride type vehicle detected by the second detection means is maintained. Acceleration control and braking control of the saddle-ride type vehicle The straddle-type vehicle is caused to follow the vehicle ahead by a control means; The tracking control means When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is higher than a reference speed, the acceleration control and the braking control are performed independently; The vehicle speed of the saddle-ride type vehicle is The aforementioned If it is lower than the standard for, acceleration control and the braking control; of Do it simultaneously and individually outputting control signals for executing them. It is characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize driving assistance that is advantageous for stabilizing driving in ACC. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a saddle-ride type vehicle according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 3 is a flowchart showing an outline of driving assistance provided by the driving assistance device. [Figure 3] 10 is a timing chart for explaining an example of the control content of the stabilization ACC. [Figure 4] 10 is a timing chart for explaining an example of the control content of the stabilization ACC. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing the details of driving assistance provided by the driving assistance device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0010] 1 shows an example of the configuration of a saddle-ride type vehicle 1 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the saddle-ride type vehicle 1 is a two-wheeled vehicle having front and rear wheels as wheels 11, but the number of wheels is not limited to this example.

[0011] The saddle-type vehicle 1 further includes a power source 12, a power transmission mechanism 13, a driving operation mechanism 14, a braking device 17, and a monitoring device 15. The power source 12 is configured to be able to generate power (rotation), and a known internal combustion engine or electric motor can be used as the power source 12. The power transmission mechanism 13 is configured to be able to transmit the power of the power source 12 to the wheels 11, and typically, power according to the gear ratio of the transmission is transmitted to the rear wheels.

[0012] The driving operation mechanism 14 is configured to be able to receive operation inputs required to drive the saddle riding type vehicle 1, and in this embodiment includes an acceleration operator 14a, a braking operator 14b, a steering operator 14c, and a gear change operator 14d. In this embodiment, most of the operators 14a to 14d are provided on the handlebars, but some may be provided on other parts of the vehicle body. The acceleration operator 14a is an operator for performing acceleration operations, and the braking operator 14b is an operator for performing braking operations. The steering operator 14c is an operator for performing steering operations, and typically, turning the handlebars left and right corresponds to this steering operation. The gear change operator 14d is an operator for changing the gear ratio of the transmission.

[0013] The braking device 17 can apply braking force to the front and rear wheels individually, and a known mechanism may be employed to achieve this. In this embodiment, the braking device 17 is configured with a brake disc 17a for braking the wheel 11, a caliper 17b for clamping the brake disc 17a, a hydraulic modulator 17c for supplying hydraulic pressure to the caliper 17b, and brake piping such as hoses and pipes connecting them.

[0014] The monitoring device 15 is configured to be able to monitor the surroundings of the saddle riding type vehicle 1, thereby being able to detect the presence or absence of objects around the saddle riding type vehicle 1 and determine the distance to them. The monitoring device 15 may be a camera configured with a CCD / CMOS image sensor or the like, but may additionally / alternatively be another distance measuring device such as a millimeter wave radar or LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging).

[0015] The saddle-type vehicle 1 further includes a driving assistance device 16. The driving assistance device 16 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 16a and a memory 16b, and is capable of implementing predetermined driving assistance based on the monitoring results of the monitoring device 15. Driving assistance refers to the driving assistance device 16 performing at least a part of the driving operations described above on behalf of the driver (rider), and in the driving assistance according to this embodiment, adaptive cruise control (ACC) is performed to make the saddle-type vehicle 1 follow another vehicle traveling in front of it (hereinafter referred to as a "vehicle in front"). That is, in ACC, the driving assistance device 16 performs acceleration control and / or braking control in place of acceleration operation and / or braking operation by the driver.

[0016] That is, when the saddle riding type vehicle 1 accelerates, the power source 12 generates power by being controlled based on the amount of operation of the acceleration operator 14a when the driving assist function is inactive, and by being controlled based on a control signal from the driving assist device 16 when the driving assist function is activated. Also, when the saddle riding type vehicle 1 decelerates, the brake device 17 is controlled based on the amount of operation of the brake operator 14b when the driving assist function is inactive, and by being controlled based on a control signal from the driving assist device 16 when the driving assist function is activated, and by being controlled based on a braking force applied to the wheels 11.

[0017] In ACC, the driving assistance device 16 performs acceleration control and / or braking control to maintain the time headway (Time-Headway (THW)) between the saddle riding type vehicle 1 and the vehicle in front, and adjusts the distance between the vehicles so that the time headway is a predetermined value (for example, 1 second). That is, the distance between the saddle riding type vehicle 1 and the vehicle in front becomes shorter as the vehicle speed decreases, and longer as the vehicle speed increases.

[0018] The driving assistance function is realized by the CPU 16a executing a predetermined program while loading it into the memory 16b, but may also be executed by an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). That is, the driving assistance function may be realized by either hardware or software, may be incorporated into a semiconductor device as a circuit, or may be executed by a processor with memory based on instructions from a computer.

[0019] Incidentally, the speed of a vehicle in front is generally unrelated to the intentions of the driver of the vehicle, so in ACC, the vehicle is decelerated when the vehicle in front decelerates, and accelerated when the vehicle in front accelerates. However, it is generally difficult to stabilize the driving of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 at a relatively low vehicle speed. Therefore, in this embodiment, the mode of driving assistance can be changed depending on the vehicle speed.

[0020] 2 is a flowchart showing an outline of driving assistance provided by the driving assistance device 16. This flowchart is executed when a leading vehicle is detected and ACC execution is started, and each step is executed mainly by the CPU 16a.

[0021] In step S2110 (hereinafter simply referred to as "S2110"; the same applies to other steps described later), the driving assistance mode is set to normal ACC. Details of normal ACC will be described later.

[0022] In S2010, the speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is acquired. The speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 may be calculated from the rotation speed of the wheels 11, and a known vehicle speed sensor may be used.

[0023] In S2020, the time interval between the vehicle in front and the vehicle in front is calculated. As described above, the vehicle in front is detected based on the monitoring results by the monitoring device 15. The time interval can be calculated based on the distance between the saddle riding type vehicle 1 and the vehicle in front and the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1.

[0024] In S2030, it is determined whether the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is lower than a reference value. In this example, this reference value is 30 kilometers per hour, but it may be any predetermined value greater than 0 kilometers per hour, and may be set based on a parameter related to the traveling stability of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 (for example, weight). If the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is lower than the reference value, the process proceeds to S2210; otherwise, the process returns to S2110. Note that this determination may proceed to S2210 if the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than the reference value, and may proceed to S2110 if the vehicle speed is higher than the reference value.

[0025] In S2210, the driving assistance mode is set to the stabilized ACC mode. Details of the stabilized ACC mode will be described later.

[0026] In summary, in S2110, normal ACC is performed so that the time interval becomes a predetermined value when the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than a reference value. On the other hand, in S2210, stabilization ACC, which is an ACC different from normal ACC, is performed so that the time interval becomes a predetermined value when the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is less than the reference value.

[0027] Generally, stabilizing the running of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is relatively easy when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a reference speed, but is relatively difficult when the vehicle speed is below the reference speed. Therefore, while the ACC at S2110 can be performed in a known manner, the ACC at S2210 is performed in a manner that prioritizes stabilizing the running. From this perspective, in this specification, the ACC at S2110 is referred to as "normal ACC" and the ACC at S2210 is referred to as "stabilized ACC" to distinguish between them.

[0028] In the stabilization ACC according to this embodiment, acceleration control is performed simultaneously with braking control, and maintaining vehicle motion while braking control is performed makes it possible to increase the front and rear wheel load force on the road surface. Acceleration control and braking control can be performed by the driving assistance device 16 outputting separate control signals to the power source 12 and the brake device 17, respectively. Braking control can generally be performed separately for the front and rear wheels, and the braking forces applied to the front and rear wheels during acceleration and deceleration can be adjusted separately, further ensuring vehicle stability.

[0029] On the other hand, in normal ACC, acceleration control and braking control are performed independently, that is, the driving assistance device 16 does not perform braking control when performing acceleration control, and does not perform acceleration control when performing braking control.

[0030] To further ensure safety, the inter-vehicle time guaranteed by the stabilized ACC may be set to be greater than the inter-vehicle time guaranteed by the normal ACC. The stabilized ACC may also be referred to as a low-speed ACC.

[0031] In the normal ACC and stabilized ACC, the control amounts of acceleration control and braking control (signal values ​​corresponding to the amounts of acceleration and braking operations, or driving parameters and other signal values ​​that can achieve a desired driving mode) may be determined based on the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 acquired in S2010 and the inter-vehicle time calculated in S2020. For example, the saddle riding type vehicle 1 will accelerate as the control amount of acceleration control increases, and will decelerate as the control amount of braking control increases.

[0032] As described above, according to this embodiment, the driving assistance device 16 executes stabilization ACC, which performs acceleration control and braking control simultaneously, when the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is lower than a reference speed. Because braking control is essentially performed continuously while the stabilization ACC is being executed, acceleration control is performed simultaneously with (or in conjunction with) braking control. This type of stabilization ACC increases the front and rear wheel load forces on the road surface, thereby stabilizing the traveling of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 even when the vehicle speed is relatively low, enabling the saddle riding type vehicle 1 to follow a vehicle traveling in front.

[0033] The front and rear wheel load forces can be adjusted by the braking force applied to the wheels 11, so when the vehicle speed is even lower, the stabilization ACC may be performed so as to further increase the front and rear wheel load forces. In other words, the lower the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1, the larger the control amount of both the acceleration control and the braking control should be, thereby maintaining the low vehicle speed.

[0034] However, since the speed of a vehicle ahead is generally unrelated to the intentions of the driver of the vehicle, the acceleration control and braking control in the stabilized ACC according to this embodiment must be adjusted based on the driving behavior of the vehicle ahead. Below, we will explain how to implement the stabilized ACC according to this embodiment, using several example scenarios.

[0035] -First example Figure 3 shows the case where stabilization ACC is being performed (vehicle speed V1 of saddle-ride type vehicle 1 is the reference V REF The horizontal axis in the figure is the time axis, and the vertical axis is the vehicle speed V of the vehicle in front. OB , the vehicle speed V1 of the saddle riding type vehicle 1, and the control amount D_A of the acceleration control and the control amount D_B of the braking control of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 are shown.

[0036] For ease of understanding, vehicle speed V OBand V1. Acceleration or deceleration is determined based on the difference between the control amount D_A and the control amount D_B, and when this difference is constant, vehicle speed V1 is maintained. Control amounts D_A and D_B are shown side by side for comparison, but their dimensions are not precise, i.e., they are shown merely as a schematic representation. Furthermore, when control amount D_A is greater than control amount D_B and the difference between them becomes large, saddle riding type vehicle 1 accelerates, and when control amount D_A is smaller than control amount D_B and the difference between them becomes large, saddle riding type vehicle 1 decelerates.

[0037] Until time T11, the vehicle speed V OB and vehicle speed V1 are equal and constant (V OB =V1 <V REF ), and the vehicle speed V OB decreases, and vehicle speed V1 decreases accordingly. At this time, according to the stabilization ACC of this embodiment, the driving assistance device 16 suppresses acceleration control to reduce the control amount D_A (or set it to essentially zero), and at the same time increases the control amount D_B of braking control. As a result, vehicle speed V1 decreases, and at the same time, the control amount D_B of braking control increases, making it possible to decelerate the saddle riding type vehicle 1 while further stabilizing the traveling of the saddle riding type vehicle 1. Furthermore, reducing the control amount D_A reduces the fuel or electricity required to drive the power source 12, which may enable energy conservation.

[0038] After that, at time T12 to T13, the vehicle speed V OB increases, and vehicle speed V1 increases accordingly. At this time, according to the stabilization ACC of this embodiment, the driving assistance device 16 resumes acceleration control and increases the control amount D_A of the braking control while maintaining the control amount D_B of the braking control. As a result, vehicle speed V1 increases, and at the same time, the control amount D_B of the braking control is maintained, so it is possible to accelerate the saddle riding type vehicle 1 while maintaining the stability of the traveling of the saddle riding type vehicle 1.

[0039] -Second example Figure 4 shows the case where stabilization ACC is being performed (vehicle speed V1 of saddle-ride type vehicle 1 is the reference V REFA timing chart for the case where the vehicle in front suddenly accelerates when the vehicle speed is lower than the allowable value is shown in the same way as in Figure 3. The sudden acceleration here means that the acceleration is greater than the allowable value, and the allowable value may be set based on a value that can generally be said to cause unnecessary G-forces to the driver.

[0040] Between times T21 and T22, the vehicle speed V OB If the vehicle speed V1 increases suddenly, the reference V REF The acceleration increases so as not to exceed the allowable value until the vehicle speed V1 reaches the reference V REF After time T23, the stabilization ACC is switched to the normal ACC, so braking control is suppressed, and acceleration control is performed so that the saddle riding type vehicle 1 can follow the vehicle. In other words, when the vehicle ahead accelerates at an acceleration greater than the allowable value, the vehicle speed V1 is increased to the reference V REF Until the vehicle reaches the predetermined speed, the straddle-type vehicle 1 accelerates at an acceleration rate that is smaller than the acceleration rate of the vehicle in front.

[0041] According to this example, the distance between the saddle riding type vehicle 1 and the vehicle ahead temporarily increases, but the vehicle speed V1 becomes equal to the reference V REF After the vehicle speed V1 reaches the predetermined value, the time interval decreases again to the predetermined value. In this way, by reducing the change in acceleration when the vehicle speed V1 is relatively low, the traveling stability of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 can be further ensured. Furthermore, by temporarily increasing the distance between the vehicles, it is possible to further ensure safety.

[0042] On the other hand, if the preceding vehicle accelerates at an acceleration smaller than the allowable value, the vehicle speed V1 will be equal to the reference V, as in the first example. REF Until the vehicle speed V1 reaches the vehicle speed V OB The stabilization ACC should be performed so as to follow the

[0043] Although Figure 4 shows a state in which acceleration increases after time T23, the acceleration may remain constant, which also makes it possible to ensure that the inter-vehicle time between the saddle-type vehicle 1 and the vehicle in front reaches a predetermined value.

[0044] In the first and second examples, for ease of understanding, the vehicle speed V OB The outline of the stabilized ACC has been described as a system in which V1 and V2 increase or decrease linearly (acceleration is constant), but in reality, the vehicle speed V OB and V1 increase or decrease as the acceleration fluctuates. Therefore, in the stabilization ACC, the control variables D_A and D_B should be adjusted so that the G that may be applied to the driver falls within an allowable range.

[0045] -Third example The stabilization ACC according to this embodiment does not simply perform acceleration control or braking control to make the saddle riding vehicle 1 follow a vehicle in front, but performs acceleration control while performing braking control to increase the front and rear wheel load forces on the road surface, thereby stabilizing the traveling of the saddle riding vehicle 1. However, this effect can be said to be obtained while the saddle riding vehicle 1 is traveling (in other words, over the period until the saddle riding vehicle 1 comes to a stop). Therefore, the stabilization ACC can be interrupted when the saddle riding vehicle 1 comes to a stop. If an operation input is subsequently performed to start the saddle riding vehicle 1, the interrupted stabilization ACC can be resumed in response to this.

[0046] The operation input for starting the saddle riding type vehicle 1 (mainly the operation input indicating an acceleration operation) can be acquired based on a signal from the driving operation mechanism 14. Alternatively, the driving operation mechanism 14 may be provided with a button switch for instructing the start of driving assistance by the ACC, that is, it is sufficient that the configuration is such that an operation indicating the driver's intention to start the saddle riding type vehicle 1 can be detected.

[0047] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of further utilization of the above-mentioned stabilized ACC, showing the content of driving assistance that takes into consideration more detailed driving situations. As in Fig. 2, each step of this flowchart is mainly executed by the CPU 16a.

[0048] The contents of S2110 to S2210 will not be described because they are the same as those in Fig. 2. In this example, S5010 to S5120 are performed after S2210.

[0049] In S5010, the riding surface of the saddle-riding vehicle 1 is evaluated. As described above, the stability ACC can individually adjust the braking force applied to the front and rear wheels during acceleration and deceleration to further stabilize the vehicle body. However, it is considered that further adjustment of the braking force may be required depending on the condition of the riding surface. For example, if the inclination angle of the riding surface is greater than a reference angle (e.g., +5 degrees) (i.e., an uphill slope), a large propulsive force is required, whereas if the inclination angle is less than another reference angle (e.g., -5 degrees) (i.e., a downhill slope), a small propulsive force is sufficient. It can be said that the front and rear wheel load forces for such riding surfaces require further adjustment for each of the front and rear wheels. As another example, the same applies to the riding surface environment (paved, unpaved, rough roads that are prone to slipping due to rain, etc.), and further adjustment may be required. For this reason, the riding surface is evaluated in this step.

[0050] In S5020, the riding behavior is evaluated. For example, the center of gravity of the vehicle body can change depending on the driver's weight, whether there is luggage, whether there is a passenger, etc., so further adjustments as described above may be necessary depending on the riding behavior. For this reason, the riding behavior is evaluated in this step.

[0051] In S5030, the acceleration of the vehicle in front is evaluated. As in the second example described with reference to Figure 4, further adjustments as described above may be required depending on the acceleration pattern of the vehicle in front. For this reason, the acceleration of the vehicle in front is evaluated in this step.

[0052] At S5040, the control values ​​of the acceleration control and braking control are corrected based on the evaluation results obtained at S5010 to S5030 so that the stabilization ACC is more appropriately realized. The correction may be performed using a predetermined calculation formula that uses the evaluation results. For example, the control amounts of the acceleration control and braking control are corrected by weighted addition, and in particular, to further ensure the stabilization of the vehicle body, the above-mentioned further adjustment (adjustment of the front and rear wheel load forces for each of the front and rear wheels) is performed when correcting the control amount of the braking control.

[0053] In S5050, it is determined whether or not the stabilized ACC needs to be interrupted. In some cases, it may be difficult to continue the stabilized ACC, so in such cases, the stabilized ACC may be interrupted until it becomes possible to continue it again. Examples include: - When yawing or rolling outside the allowable range occurs in the saddle riding type vehicle 1 (for example, when the yaw rate or roll rate exceeds the allowable value, which may be set to, for example, 20 degrees / second); - When the saddle riding type vehicle 1 turns at a turning angle outside the allowable range (for example, when the bank angle or steering angle exceeds the allowable angle, which may be set to, for example, 20 degrees); When the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is substantially stopped (for example, when the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is less than a reference value. The reference value may be set to, for example, 1 kilometer per hour). If at least one of these is true, the process proceeds to S5110, and if none of these is true, the process returns to S2010.

[0054] In S5110, the stabilization ACC is interrupted. At this time, the control amount corrected in S5040 can be temporarily held or stored in, for example, the memory 16b so that the further adjusted front and rear wheel load forces will be realized again when the interrupted stabilization ACC is later resumed.

[0055] In S5120, it is determined whether the suspended stabilization ACC can be resumed. An example of when the stabilization ACC can be resumed is when a leading vehicle is present in front of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 and the driver inputs an operation indicating an intention to start the saddle riding type vehicle 1, for example: - When an acceleration operation is input (for example, when the throttle opening exceeds a reference value, which may be set to, for example, 20 degrees); - When an operation is input to start driving assistance by ACC As another example, the situation may be when there is a leading vehicle ahead of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 and the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is in a sufficient traveling state (for example, when the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than a reference value. The reference value may be set to, for example, 10 kilometers per hour). If it is possible to resume the stabilization ACC, the process returns to S2210, and if not, the process returns to S5110.

[0056] By utilizing the stabilization ACC in this manner, even when the vehicle speed is relatively low, it is possible to increase the front and rear wheel load force on the road surface in a variety of driving environments, thereby stabilizing the driving of the saddle-type vehicle 1, and it is possible to appropriately realize the saddle-type vehicle 1 following the vehicle in front.

[0057] 2, the order of steps may be changed, other steps may be added, or some steps may be omitted without departing from the spirit of the flowchart. For example, the evaluation processes of S5010 to S5030 may be performed together, partially omitted, performed immediately before S2210, and / or combined with other known evaluation processes.

[0058] In the above description, for ease of understanding, each element is denoted by a name related to its function. However, each element is not limited to having the content described in the embodiment as its main function, and may have that function auxiliary to the content. Therefore, each element is not strictly limited to the expression, and the expression can be replaced with a similar expression. In the same spirit, the expression "apparatus" may be replaced with "unit," "component," "piece," "member," "structure," "assembly," etc., or may be omitted or added.

[0059] Furthermore, two or more elements exemplified as selectable in the embodiments are not strictly limited to the examples and may be arbitrarily combined, for example, each of the two or more exemplified elements may be selected additionally or alternatively. As an example, when two elements A and B can be arbitrarily combined, they may be expressed as "A and / or B" or "at least one of A and B" to indicate either A only, B only, or both A and B.

[0060] (Summary of the embodiment) Some features exemplified in the above embodiments are as follows: First, the driving assistance device (e.g., 16) A driving assistance device that can be mounted on a saddle-type vehicle (for example, 1), a first detection means (e.g., S2010) for detecting a vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle; a second detection means (e.g., S2020) for detecting a vehicle ahead traveling in front of the saddle riding type vehicle; control means (e.g., S2110, S2210) for performing acceleration control and braking control of the saddle riding type vehicle; The vehicle speed (for example, V1) of the saddle-type vehicle is a reference (for example, V REF ), the control means performs the acceleration control and the braking control simultaneously to follow the vehicle ahead (e.g., S2210). This makes it possible to stabilize the running of the saddle-type vehicle by increasing the front and rear wheel load forces even when the vehicle speed is relatively low, thereby enabling the ACC to be implemented appropriately.

[0061] Second, When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed, the control means increases both the control amount of the acceleration control and the control amount of the braking control as the vehicle speed decreases. As a result, even if the vehicle speed becomes slower, the front and rear wheel load forces can be further increased until the saddle riding type vehicle comes to a standstill, thereby stabilizing the running of the saddle riding type vehicle.

[0062] Third, When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed and the detection means detects that the preceding vehicle has decelerated, the control means suppresses the acceleration control and increases the control amount of the braking control. This allows the front and rear wheel load forces to be increased even when the vehicle speed is further reduced, so the saddle-riding type vehicle can be decelerated while stabilizing its running. Furthermore, suppressing acceleration control makes it possible to reduce the amount of fuel or electricity consumed to drive the power source, which can ultimately be advantageous for energy conservation.

[0063] Fourth, Thereafter, when the detection means detects that the vehicle in front has accelerated, the control means increases the control amount of the acceleration control while maintaining the control amount of the braking control. As a result, the control amount of the braking control is maintained, thereby maintaining the front and rear wheel load forces and maintaining the stability of the running of the saddle riding type vehicle, and at the same time, the saddle riding type vehicle can be accelerated.

[0064] Fifth, When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed, and when the detection means detects that the vehicle in front has accelerated and the acceleration is greater than a predetermined value, the control means accelerates the saddle riding type vehicle at an acceleration lower than the acceleration of the vehicle in front until the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle reaches the reference speed. This makes it possible to prevent the saddle-type vehicle from following the sudden acceleration of the vehicle ahead.

[0065] Sixth, When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed, when the detection means detects that the preceding vehicle has accelerated and the acceleration is smaller than a predetermined value, the control means accelerates the saddle riding type vehicle by increasing the control amount of the acceleration control while maintaining the control amount of the braking control until the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle reaches the reference speed. This allows the control amount of braking control to be maintained, thereby maintaining the front and rear wheel load forces and maintaining the stability of the saddle riding type vehicle's running, while also allowing the saddle riding type vehicle to follow the acceleration of the vehicle in front at an allowable acceleration.

[0066] Seventh, further comprising an acquisition means for acquiring an operation input for starting the saddle riding type vehicle; The control means suspends the acceleration control and the braking control when the saddle riding type vehicle comes to a stop, and resumes the suspended acceleration control and the braking control in response to the operation input. This allows the driver's intention to use driving assistance to be properly detected, and driving assistance is resumed appropriately accordingly.

[0067] Eighth, The standard is 30 kilometers per hour. This value can be set based on parameters (such as weight) related to the running stability of the saddle-type vehicle.

[0068] Ninth, The control means The acceleration control is performed by controlling a power source (e.g., 12) of the saddle-ride type vehicle; The braking control is performed by controlling a braking device (e.g., 17) of the saddle-ride type vehicle. and outputs control signals to the power source and the braking device so that This makes it possible to perform acceleration control and braking control individually and appropriately.

[0069] Tenth, the method is A method for providing driving assistance for a saddle-type vehicle (e.g., 1), comprising: a step of detecting a vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle (e.g., S2010); a step (e.g., S2020) of detecting a vehicle ahead traveling in front of the saddle riding type vehicle; and performing acceleration control and braking control of the saddle riding type vehicle (e.g., S2110, S2210), The vehicle speed (for example, V1) of the saddle-type vehicle is a reference (for example, V REF ), in the controlling step, the acceleration control is performed simultaneously with the braking control to follow the vehicle ahead (for example, S2210). This makes it possible to stabilize the running of the saddle-type vehicle by increasing the front and rear wheel load forces even when the vehicle speed is relatively low, thereby enabling the ACC to be implemented appropriately.

[0070] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1: saddle-type vehicle, 16: driving assistance device, 16a: CPU.

Claims

1. A driving assistance device that can be mounted on a saddle-ride type vehicle, a first detection means for detecting a vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle; a second detection means for detecting a leading vehicle traveling in front of the saddle riding type vehicle; a follow-up control means for controlling the acceleration and braking of the saddle riding type vehicle so that the inter-vehicle time detected by the second detection means is maintained, thereby causing the saddle riding type vehicle to follow the vehicle in front, The tracking control means When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is higher than a reference speed, the acceleration control and the braking control are performed independently; When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed, the acceleration control and the braking control are simultaneously performed and control signals for performing these controls are output separately. A driving assistance device characterized by:

2. A driving assistance device that can be mounted on a saddle-ride type vehicle, a first detection means for detecting a vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle; a second detection means for detecting a leading vehicle traveling in front of the saddle riding type vehicle; a tracking control means for performing acceleration control and braking control of the saddle riding type vehicle, When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than a reference speed, the following control means performs the acceleration control and the braking control simultaneously to follow the vehicle in front, When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed and the second detection means detects that the preceding vehicle has decelerated, the following control means suppresses the acceleration control and increases the control amount of the braking control. A driving assistance device characterized by:

3. A driving assistance device that can be mounted on a saddle-type vehicle, a first detection means for detecting a vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle; a second detection means for detecting a leading vehicle traveling in front of the saddle riding type vehicle; a tracking control means for performing acceleration control and braking control of the saddle riding type vehicle, When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than a reference speed, the following control means performs the acceleration control and the braking control simultaneously to follow the vehicle in front, When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed and the second detection means detects that the preceding vehicle has accelerated, the following control means increases the control amount of the acceleration control while maintaining the control amount of the braking control. A driving assistance device characterized by:

4. When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed, the follow-up control means increases both the control amount of the acceleration control and the control amount of the braking control as the vehicle speed decreases.

4. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein the driving support device is a vehicle driving support system.

5. When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed, and when the second detection means detects that the vehicle in front has accelerated and the acceleration is greater than a predetermined value, the following control means accelerates the saddle riding type vehicle at an acceleration smaller than the acceleration of the vehicle in front until the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle reaches the reference speed.

4. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 3.

6. When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed, when the second detection means detects that the preceding vehicle has accelerated and the acceleration is smaller than a predetermined value, the following control means accelerates the saddle riding type vehicle by increasing the control amount of the acceleration control while maintaining the control amount of the braking control until the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle reaches the reference speed.

4. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 3.

7. further comprising an acquisition means for acquiring an operation input for starting the saddle riding type vehicle; The follow-up control means suspends the acceleration control and the braking control when the saddle riding type vehicle comes to a stop, and resumes the suspended acceleration control and the braking control in response to the operation input.

4. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein the driving support device is a vehicle driving support system.

8. The criteria are greater than 0 kilometers per hour and less than or equal to 30 kilometers per hour.

4. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein the driving support device is a vehicle driving support system.

9. The standard is a value greater than 0 kilometers per hour that is set based on a parameter related to the running stability of the saddle-riding type vehicle, and the parameter includes the weight of the saddle-riding type vehicle.

4. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein the driving support device is a vehicle driving support system.

10. The tracking control means controlling a power source of the saddle riding type vehicle to perform the acceleration control; The braking control is performed by controlling a braking device of the saddle-ride type vehicle. and outputs control signals to the power source and the braking device so that 4. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein the driving support device is a vehicle driving support system.

11. A method for providing driving assistance for a saddle-ride type vehicle, comprising: detecting a vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle; detecting a leading vehicle traveling in front of the saddle riding type vehicle; and a step of causing the saddle riding type vehicle to follow the vehicle in front by performing acceleration control and braking control of the saddle riding type vehicle so that the inter-vehicle time between the vehicle in front and the saddle riding type vehicle is maintained, When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is higher than a reference speed, the step of causing the saddle riding type vehicle to follow the reference speed includes independently performing the acceleration control and the braking control; When the vehicle speed of the saddle riding type vehicle is lower than the reference speed, the step of causing the vehicle to follow the control includes simultaneously performing the acceleration control and the braking control and outputting control signals for executing the control separately. A method characterized by:

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