Driving assistance device and driving assistance method

Abstract

To provide a driving assistance technique capable of performing acceleration control of a vehicle according to the situation of a lane being a merging destination in a driving environment where the driving lane of the own vehicle merges into another driving lane.SOLUTION: A driving assistance device includes an external environment detection sensor of a vehicle and a control device that controls a drive source of the vehicle. The control device controls the drive source so as to change the acceleration of the vehicle on the basis of relative information including at least one of the time to reach, distance to, or relative speed with respect to a predetermined position ahead or another vehicle ahead on the own vehicle driving lane on which the vehicle is traveling, and the traffic situation on another driving lane being the merging destination on the basis of the information of the external environment detection sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for changing lanes between a vehicle ahead and a vehicle behind that are traveling in the adjacent lane when changing lanes from the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to the adjacent lane. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-107431 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in a driving environment where the vehicle's lane merges into another lane, it is necessary to complete merging into the other lane by the time the vehicle reaches the front end of the lane it is traveling in. Furthermore, for two-wheeled vehicles with high acceleration / deceleration performance, the degree of freedom in acceleration control increases, such as merging into a position in front of a vehicle traveling in another lane, or merging into a position behind a vehicle traveling in front, so acceleration control of the vehicle is required according to the driving environment of the vehicle and the situation of the lane it is merging into.

[0005] In consideration of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a driving assistance technology that can change the acceleration of a vehicle in a driving environment where the vehicle's driving lane merges into another driving lane, depending on the merging position determined based on the situation of the other driving lane at the merging destination. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A driving assistance device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: an external environment detection sensor for a vehicle; an inertial measurement sensor for measuring the attitude of the vehicle;a control means for controlling a drive source of the vehicle, the control means comprising: adjusting the acceleration by controlling the drive source based on information from the inertial measurement sensor; Based on information from the external environment detection sensor, the drive source is controlled to change the acceleration of the vehicle based on relative information including at least one of arrival time, distance, and relative speed with respect to a predetermined position ahead or another vehicle ahead in the own vehicle driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and based on a driving situation in another driving lane to which the vehicle will merge. death, setting a target position based on a predetermined position ahead of the vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, or relative information including at least one of a time gap, a distance gap, or a relative speed with respect to the other vehicle; determining a position in the other driving lane where the vehicle can merge before reaching the target position, based on relative information including at least one of a time interval, a distance between vehicles, or a relative speed of the vehicle with respect to a vehicle ahead of the vehicle traveling in the other driving lane, the relative information being acquired from information from the external environment detection sensor; Controlling the drive source to change the acceleration of the vehicle in accordance with the determined position. do. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, in a driving environment in which the vehicle's lane merges into another lane, it is possible to change the vehicle's acceleration in accordance with a merging position determined based on the situation of the other lane at the merging destination. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view of the right side of the vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a front view of a vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of external detection sensors. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a driving assistance device according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a processing flow of the driving assistance device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first specific example of processing by a driving assistance device. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a second specific example of processing by the driving assistance device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, 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 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, identical or similar components are given the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. Information indicating the relative relationship between a vehicle (host vehicle) and another vehicle (a vehicle ahead or a vehicle behind) may include, for example, the inter-vehicle time, inter-vehicle distance, or relative speed between the vehicle and the other vehicle. In this embodiment, this information is collectively referred to as "relative information." In the following embodiments, the inter-vehicle time is used as an example of relative information, but the present invention is not limited to the inter-vehicle time and can be similarly applied to inter-vehicle distance, relative speed, etc.

[0010] A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, arrows X, Y, and Z indicate directions that are perpendicular to one another, with the X direction indicating the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, the Y direction indicating the width direction (left-to-right direction) of the vehicle, and the Z direction indicating the up-to-down direction. The left and right of the vehicle are the left and right when viewed from the forward direction. Hereinafter, the front or rear of the vehicle in the front-to-rear direction may be simply referred to as the front or rear. Furthermore, the inside or outside of the vehicle in the width direction (left-to-right direction) may be simply referred to as the inside or outside.

[0011] <Vehicle Overview> Fig. 1 is a right side view of a vehicle 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a front view of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a saddle-ride type two-wheeled vehicle, but the present invention is also applicable to other types of two-wheeled vehicles. Furthermore, in addition to vehicles using an internal combustion engine as a drive source, the present invention is also applicable to electric vehicles using a motor as a drive source.

[0012] The vehicle 1 is provided with a power unit 2 between the front wheels FW and the rear wheels RW. In this embodiment, the power unit 2 includes a drive source 21 and a transmission 22. The driving force of the transmission 22 is transmitted to the rear wheels RW via a power transmission mechanism (not shown), causing the rear wheels RW to rotate.

[0013] The power unit 2 is supported by a body frame 3. The body frame 3 includes a pair of left and right main frames 31 extending in the X direction. A fuel tank 5 and an air cleaner box (not shown) are disposed above the main frames 31. A meter panel MP is provided in front of the fuel tank 5 to display various information to the rider.

[0014] A head pipe 32 is provided at the front end of the main frame 31, rotatably supporting a steering shaft (not shown) that is turned by the handlebars 8. A pair of left and right pivot plates 33 is provided at the rear end of the main frame 31. The lower ends of the pivot plates 33 are connected to the front end of the main frame 31 by a pair of left and right lower arms (not shown), and the power unit 2 is supported by the main frame 31 and the lower arms. A pair of left and right seat rails extending rearward is also provided at the rear end of the main frame 31, and the seat rails support a seat 4a on which a rider sits, a seat 4b on which a passenger sits, a rear trunk 7b, etc. The rear ends of the seat rails and the pivot plates 33 are connected by a pair of left and right sub-frames.

[0015] The front end of a rear swing arm (not shown) extending in the fore-and-aft direction is supported so as to be able to swing freely on the pivot plate 33. The rear swing arm is able to swing up and down, and a rear wheel RW is supported at its rear end. An exhaust muffler 6 that silences the exhaust of the drive source 21 is provided extending in the X direction on the sides of the lower part of the rear wheel RW. Left and right saddlebags 7a are provided on the sides of the upper part of the rear wheel RW.

[0016] A front suspension mechanism 9 that supports a front wheel FW is configured at the front end of the main frame 31. The front suspension mechanism 9 includes an upper link 91, a lower link 92, a fork support 93, a cushion unit 94, and a pair of left and right front forks 95.

[0017] The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are disposed at a vertical interval on the front end of the main frame 31. The rear ends of the upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are pivotally connected to a fork support 93, and the front ends of the upper link 91 and the lower link 92 are pivotally connected to a fork support 93. The upper link 91 and the lower link 92 extend in the fore-and-aft direction and are disposed substantially parallel to each other.

[0018] The cushion unit 94 has a structure in which a shock absorber is inserted into a coil spring, and its upper end is supported so as to be able to swing freely by the main frame 31. The lower end of the cushion unit 94 is supported so as to be able to swing freely by the lower link 92. The fork support body 93 is cylindrical and tilted rearward.

[0019] A steering shaft 96 is supported on the fork support 93 so as to be rotatable about its axis. The steering shaft 96 has a shaft portion (not shown) that passes through the fork support 93. A bridge (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the steering shaft 96, and a pair of left and right front forks 95 are supported on this bridge. The front wheel FW is rotatably supported on the front forks 95. The upper end of the steering shaft 96 is connected via a link 97 to a steering shaft (not shown) that is turned by the handlebars 8. Steering the handlebars 8 rotates the steering shaft 96, and the front wheel FW is steered. The upper part of the front wheel FW is covered with a fender 10, which is supported by the front forks 95.

[0020] A headlight unit 11 that emits light ahead of the vehicle 1 is disposed at the front of the vehicle 1. The front of the vehicle 1 is covered by a front cover 12, and the front sides of the vehicle 1 are covered by a pair of left and right side covers 14. A screen 13 is disposed above the front cover 12. The screen 13 is a windshield that reduces wind pressure experienced by the rider while riding, and is formed, for example, from a transparent resin material. A pair of left and right side mirror units 15 are disposed on the sides of the front cover 12. The side mirror units 15 support side mirrors that enable the rider to see behind.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of external detection sensors. The external detection sensors are sensors that detect other vehicles around the vehicle 1 (host vehicle) while the vehicle 1 is traveling, and the number of lanes on the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling. The external detection sensors may be, for example, millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic sensors, cameras configured with CCD / CMOS image sensors, or distance measuring devices such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). In the case of this embodiment, as an example, the external detection sensors 9A-9F have detection ranges in front, on the left, right, and rear of the vehicle 1, and detect other vehicles traveling in front or approaching the vehicle 1 (host vehicle) from behind. The external detection sensors 9A-9F also detect the number of lanes on the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling. If the external detection sensors 9A-9F detect an obstacle in front of the vehicle 1, a display can be displayed on the meter panel MP, for example, to alert the rider.

[0022] The external environment detection sensors 9A-9F may be arranged at any of the front, side, and rear of the vehicle 1, as shown in Fig. 3. External environment detection information of the vehicle 1 (host vehicle) detected by the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F is input to the control device 410 of the driving assistance device 400. Note that Fig. 3 shows an example in which three external environment detection sensors 9A-9F are arranged at the front side of the vehicle 1 and three external environment detection sensors are arranged at the rear side, but this is not limited to this example, and the positions are not limited to these as long as information about the periphery of the vehicle 1 can be detected, and the number of external environment detection sensors arranged is also arbitrary.

[0023] <Configuration of driving assistance device> FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a driving assistance device 400 according to an embodiment. The driving assistance device 400 includes external environment detection sensors 9A-9F that detect the external environment of the vehicle 1, a wheel speed sensor 401 that detects the speed of the vehicle 1, an inertial measurement sensor 403 that measures the attitude of the vehicle 1, and a control device 410 that controls the power unit 2 including the driving source 21 of the vehicle 1 and the pressure modulator 406 using information acquired by the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F, the wheel speed sensor 401, and the inertial measurement sensor 403. The control device 410 controls the driving source 21 to change the acceleration of the vehicle 1 based on information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F, relative information including at least one of arrival time, distance, and relative speed relative to a predetermined position ahead or another vehicle ahead in the vehicle's own lane, and the driving conditions in another lane where the vehicle 1 will merge. The vehicle 1 according to this embodiment includes the driving assistance device 400. When performing acceleration control, the control device 410 generates an acceleration control signal, and controls the driving source 21 based on the generated acceleration control signal to accelerate the vehicle 1. When performing deceleration control, the control device 410 generates a deceleration control signal, and controls the pressure modulator 406 based on the generated deceleration control signal to decelerate the vehicle 1.

[0024] The wheel speed sensors 401 are provided, for example, on the front wheels FW and rear wheels RW, and detect the vehicle speed corresponding to the detected values ​​of the rotation speeds of the front wheels FW and rear wheels RW. The wheel speed sensors 401 are configured, for example, with a rotation speed sensor such as a rotary encoder that outputs a detection signal according to the rotation speed of the front wheels FW of the vehicle 1. In this case, the wheel speed corresponding to the detected value of the rotation speed of the front wheels FW is obtained as detection information of the vehicle speed. The detection information of the vehicle speed detected by the wheel speed sensors 401 is input to the control device 410.

[0025] The inertial measurement sensor unit 403 (inertial measurement unit: IMU, hereinafter also referred to as the inertial measurement sensor) detects accelerations in the X, Y, and Z directions and angular velocities occurring in the vehicle 1. The inertial measurement sensor unit 403 is a sensor unit capable of detecting the behavior of the vehicle 1 by detecting the accelerations and angular velocities occurring in the vehicle 1. The inertial measurement sensor unit 403 can be disposed at any suitable location on the vehicle 1, for example, near the center of gravity of the vehicle 1. The inertial measurement sensor unit 403 has, as sensors for detecting translational acceleration, an X-axis acceleration sensor 404X that detects translational acceleration (X-axis acceleration) in the X-axis direction (front-to-back direction of the vehicle 1), a Y-axis acceleration sensor 404Y that detects translational acceleration (Y-axis acceleration) in the Y-axis direction (left-to-right direction of the vehicle 1), and a Z-axis acceleration sensor 404Z that detects translational acceleration (Z-axis acceleration) in the Z-axis direction (up-and-down direction of the vehicle 1).

[0026] The inertial measurement sensor unit 403 also includes sensors for detecting angular velocity, including an X-axis angular velocity sensor 405X that detects angular velocity around the X-axis (X-axis angular velocity), a Y-axis angular velocity sensor 405Y that detects angular velocity around the Y-axis (Y-axis angular velocity), and a Z-axis angular velocity sensor 405Z that detects angular velocity around the Z-axis (Z-axis angular velocity). The accelerations and angular velocities in the X, Y, and Z directions detected by the inertial measurement sensor unit 403 are input to the control device 410. The control device 410 can acquire information indicating the yaw rate and roll rate by combining information from each sensor of the inertial measurement sensor unit 403, and can determine changes in the attitude of the vehicle 1 while it is traveling. Here, the yaw rate is the amount of change (rate of change) in the yaw angle per unit time, and the roll rate is the amount of change (rate of change) in the roll angle per unit time.

[0027] The driving assistance device 400 has a processing unit 411 configured by a processor such as a CPU, a storage unit 412, and an interface unit (IF unit) 413. The storage unit 412 has a RAM 412b that stores sequential calculation results related to driving assistance control and detection information detected by various sensors, and a storage unit (ROM 412a) that stores various driving assistance control programs.

[0028] The processing unit 411 (processor) expands the driving assistance control program stored in the memory unit (ROM 412a) onto the RAM 412b, and performs signal processing from various sensors, judgment processing and calculation processing in the control device 410, and generation of control signals for controlling various devices that constitute the vehicle 1.

[0029] The interface unit 413 (IF unit) transmits and receives signals between the control device 410 and various devices constituting the vehicle 1, including the wheel speed sensor 401, the external detection sensors 9A-9F, and the inertial measurement sensor unit 403. The control device 410 is configured by an electronic control unit (ECU: Electric Control Unit) and is mounted at any appropriate location on the vehicle 1. Note that the control device 410 may be configured by multiple electronic control units capable of communicating with each other.

[0030] The driving assistance device 400 performs at least a part of the driving operation of the vehicle 1 on behalf of the driver (rider). The driving assistance device 400 of this embodiment performs adaptive cruise control (ACC) that controls the drive source 21 and braking devices of a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle 1 (host vehicle) so that the preceding vehicle travels in pursuit of the vehicle 1. That is, in ACC, the driving assistance device 400 performs acceleration control to increase the acceleration of the vehicle 1 or braking control to reduce the speed or acceleration, in place of the rider's operation. In ACC, the driving assistance device 400 performs acceleration control or braking control so that the inter-vehicle time between the vehicle 1 and the preceding vehicle is maintained at a predetermined time, and the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the vehicle 1 is adjusted so that the inter-vehicle time becomes a predetermined value (for example, N1 seconds).

[0031] When vehicle 1 merges from the lane in which it is traveling into another lane, driving assistance device 400 calculates the inter-vehicle time with the vehicle ahead based on the position and speed of a vehicle ahead traveling in the other lane and the speed of vehicle 1 (host vehicle), and determines a position (candidate position) on the other lane where vehicle 1 can merge while maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle time (for example, N1 seconds). In order to merge vehicle 1 into a position based on this determination result, driving assistance device 400 performs acceleration control instead of the rider's operation.

[0032] Similarly, the driving assistance device 400 performs acceleration control or braking control so that the time interval between vehicle 1 (host vehicle) and a rear vehicle traveling on the main lane is maintained at a predetermined time, and adjusts the distance between the rear vehicle and vehicle 1 so that the time interval becomes a predetermined value (e.g., N2 seconds, etc.). If there is a rear vehicle approaching from behind when merging, the driving assistance device determines a position (candidate position) where merging is possible while maintaining the predetermined time interval (e.g., N2 seconds, etc.) with respect to the rear vehicle.

[0033] It is preferable to set the inter-vehicle time with respect to a vehicle ahead and the inter-vehicle time with respect to a vehicle behind to different times. For example, when moving (merging) from the own lane into another lane where the own vehicle is traveling at a higher speed, taking into consideration the time required for the own vehicle to merge, it is possible to adjust the inter-vehicle time to a predetermined value for the vehicle ahead traveling in the other lane that has merged by adjusting the speed of the own vehicle. On the other hand, with regard to the vehicle behind, taking into consideration the time required for the own vehicle to change lanes, there may be cases where the vehicle behind traveling in the other lane that has merged is approaching at a distance less than the predetermined inter-vehicle time. For this reason, the inter-vehicle time with respect to the vehicle behind may be set longer than the inter-vehicle time with respect to the vehicle ahead (N2>N1).

[0034] (Example of driving assistance control 1) 6A is a diagram showing a specific example 1 of the processing of the driving assistance device 400 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in 6A of Fig. 6, a road where the lane (host vehicle lane LN0) on which the vehicle 1 (host vehicle) is traveling merges into another lane LN1 will be described as an example of the traveling environment of the vehicle 1.

[0035] 6A, vehicle 1 is traveling in host vehicle driving lane LN0 at a predetermined vehicle speed set by ACC, and vehicle 1 is in a state of merging from host vehicle driving lane LN0 into another driving lane LN1. In the other driving lane LN1, a forward vehicle 611 (first forward vehicle), a forward vehicle 612 (second forward vehicle), and a forward vehicle 613 (third forward vehicle) are traveling, all located ahead of vehicle 1. In this embodiment, host vehicle driving lane LN0 is also referred to as a merging lane, and the other driving lane LN1 is also referred to as a main driving lane.

[0036] The control device 410 determines, based on information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F, whether the host vehicle driving lane LN0 in which the vehicle 1 is traveling is a merging lane that merges into another driving lane LN1. If the host vehicle driving lane LN0 is a merging lane, the control device 410 acquires (extracts) predetermined feature portions of the host vehicle driving lane LN0 based on information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F. The predetermined feature portions of the host vehicle driving lane LN0 may be acquired (extracted), for example, by image processing camera images acquired as information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F, or by processing sensor signals.

[0037] Based on information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F, the control device 410 acquires (extracts) a wall surface EP1 (front wall 650) of the host vehicle driving lane LN0 located in front of the vehicle 1 as an example of a predetermined feature of the host vehicle driving lane LN0, and identifies its position relative to the vehicle 1. Then, the control device 410 sets the inter-vehicle time ST1 using the vehicle speed based on information from the wheel speed sensor 401 and the position of the wall surface EP1 (front wall 650).

[0038] When the host vehicle lane LN0 is a merging lane, the control device 410 sets a target position for the vehicle 1 to end merging from the host vehicle lane LN0 to another lane LN1. This target position can be set based on a time gap (e.g., STA) based on the structure of the host vehicle lane LN0. The target position indicates the limit position for merging at which the vehicle 1 will end merging before reaching this position.

[0039] This target position can be set using various methods. The upper limit of the target position is a position less than the inter-vehicle time (ST1). However, to avoid merging at the last moment, it is preferable to adjust the target position so that it includes a predetermined margin for the inter-vehicle time ST1. The control device 410 may set an adjusted inter-vehicle time STA that is shorter than the inter-vehicle time ST1 using an adjustment parameter (0<α<1) that provides a predetermined margin for the inter-vehicle time ST1. For example, the control device 410 can obtain the adjusted inter-vehicle time STA by multiplying the inter-vehicle time ST1 by the adjustment parameter α1. The control device 410 may then obtain a position (target position) corresponding to this adjusted inter-vehicle time STA as the limit position for merging. The target position can be set to any position by changing the adjustment parameter α in various ways.

[0040] Note that the setting of the inter-vehicle time ST1 based on the structure of the host vehicle driving lane LN0 (for example, wall surface EP1 (front wall 650)) is merely illustrative and is not limited to this example. As a predetermined feature of the host vehicle driving lane LN0, for example, the control device 410 may acquire (extract) an end point EP2 of the host vehicle driving lane LN0 where the host vehicle driving lane LN0 intersects with another driving lane LN1 based on information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F, and identify the relative position of the vehicle 1.

[0041] Then, the control device 410 may set the inter-vehicle time ST2 using the vehicle speed based on information from the wheel speed sensor 401 and the position of the end point EP2. The control device 410 may set an adjusted inter-vehicle time STA that is shorter than the inter-vehicle time ST2 using an adjustment parameter (0<α<1) that indicates a predetermined margin for the inter-vehicle time ST2. For example, the control device 410 may obtain the adjusted inter-vehicle time STA by multiplying the inter-vehicle time ST2 by the adjustment parameter α2.

[0042] The control device 410 acquires the inter-vehicle time interval with respect to a preceding vehicle (e.g., 611, 612) traveling in another travel lane LN1 and the speed of the vehicle 1 based on information from the external detection sensors 9A-9F and the wheel speed sensor 401, and acquires candidate positions at which the vehicle 1 can merge in the other travel lane LN1 before reaching a predetermined target position while maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle time interval with respect to the preceding vehicle. When there is only one candidate position at which the vehicle 1 can merge, the control device 410 controls the drive source 21 to accelerate the vehicle 1 according to the candidate position.

[0043] On another travel lane LN1, there may be a plurality of candidate positions at which the vehicle 1 can merge before reaching a predetermined target position. For example, the first candidate position GK1 shown in FIG. 6A is a position in front of the preceding vehicle 611 (first preceding vehicle). The second candidate position GK2 is an intermediate position between the preceding vehicle 611 (first preceding vehicle) and the preceding vehicle 612 (second preceding vehicle). The third candidate position GK3 is an intermediate position between the preceding vehicle 612 (second preceding vehicle) and the preceding vehicle 613 (third preceding vehicle).

[0044] When multiple candidate positions are set, the control device 410 selects one of the multiple candidate positions based on a predetermined priority and controls the driving source 21 to accelerate the vehicle 1 according to the selected candidate position. The predetermined priority can be set arbitrarily and stored in the storage unit 412. For example, when multiple candidate positions are set, the priority can be set in order of proximity to the predetermined target position. For example, GK1 can be set as the first priority, GK2 as the second priority, and GK3 as the third priority. Alternatively, a position intermediate between multiple forward vehicles 611 and 612 can be set as having a higher priority. For example, GK2 can be set as the first priority, GK1 as the second priority, and GK3 as the third priority.

[0045] When a turn signal operation is input and a change in the attitude of the vehicle 1 merging from its own vehicle lane LN0 into another lane LN1 is measured based on information from the inertial measurement sensor unit 403 to exceed a threshold, the control device 410 controls the driving source 21 to accelerate the vehicle 1 according to the candidate position. Here, the information indicating the change in attitude of the vehicle 1 includes the yaw rate or roll rate of the vehicle 1 acquired based on the measurement results of the inertial measurement sensor unit 403. When a turn signal operation is input and the yaw rate or roll rate exceeds a threshold, the control device 410 controls the driving source 21 to accelerate the vehicle 1.

[0046] The control device 410 changes the setting of the acceleration of the vehicle in accordance with the inter-vehicle time to control the drive source 21. The control device 410 compares the inter-vehicle time of the preceding vehicle with a predetermined time, and sets a lower acceleration when the inter-vehicle time is shorter than the predetermined time compared to the acceleration set when the inter-vehicle time is longer than the predetermined time.

[0047] In the example of 6A in Figure 6, the inter-vehicle time corresponding to the first candidate position GK1 is set to ST_GK1, and the acceleration required to merge at the first candidate position GK1 is set to a_GK1. The inter-vehicle time corresponding to the second candidate position GK2 is set to ST_GK2, and the acceleration required to merge at the second candidate position GK1 is set to a_GK2. Furthermore, the inter-vehicle time corresponding to the third candidate position GK3 is set to ST_GK3, and the acceleration required to merge at the third candidate position GK1 is set to a_GK3.

[0048] Comparing the lengths of the inter-vehicle times, inter-vehicle time ST_GK1 is longer than inter-vehicle time ST_GK2, which is longer than inter-vehicle time ST_GK3. Comparing the magnitude relationships of the accelerations, acceleration a_GK1 is greater than acceleration a_GK2, which is greater than acceleration a_GK3.

[0049] The actual merging positions (GK1, GK2, GK3) from the candidate positions are determined from the inter-vehicle time (ST_GK1, ST_GK2, ST_GK3), acceleration (a_GK1, a_GK2, a_GK3), and the target position. The merging positions can be determined using various methods. For example, if the difference between the inter-vehicle time (STA) from the target position and the inter-vehicle time (ST_GK1) from the preceding vehicle 611 is less than a predetermined value, and if the difference between the inter-vehicle time (ST_GK2) from the preceding vehicle 612 from the inter-vehicle time (ST_GK1) from the preceding vehicle 611 is greater than a predetermined value, the merging position (GK2) is determined from the candidate positions. In this way, the merging position is determined where the difference in inter-vehicle time between the target position and the preceding vehicle, or the difference in inter-vehicle time between the preceding vehicles, is largest. Furthermore, if the acceleration (a_GK1, a_GK2) determined based on the merging position determined by the difference in inter-vehicle time exceeds a predetermined value, the merging position is determined so as to result in a smaller acceleration (a_GK2, a_GK3).

[0050] The control device 410 determines the merging position (target merging position) to be at a position ahead of a preceding vehicle (for example, 611), and determines the target merging position so that the greater the speed of the preceding vehicle or the acceleration of vehicle 1 (host vehicle), the greater the distance from the preceding vehicle. For example, when there are multiple preceding vehicles (611, 612, 613), the control device 410 determines the target merging position to be at a position ahead of the leading preceding vehicle (leading preceding vehicle 611) that is located at the forefront of the multiple preceding vehicles, and determines the target merging position so that the greater the speed of the leading preceding vehicle (leading preceding vehicle 611) or the acceleration of vehicle 1, the greater the distance from the leading preceding vehicle.

[0051] In the example shown in 6B of Figure 6, the driving environment of vehicle 1 is an example of a road where the vehicle's driving lane LN0 merges into another driving lane LN1, but Figure 6B explains a case where vehicle 1 is unable to merge into a position where it can merge until it reaches a specified target position.

[0052] If the vehicle 1 is unable to merge into another travel lane LN1 until it reaches a predetermined target position, the control device 410 controls the braking device (pressure modulator 406) to decelerate the vehicle 1. In the example shown in 6B of Fig. 6, the control device 410 determines a merging position (GK4) between a leading vehicle 613 and a trailing vehicle 614 traveling on another travel lane LN1, and controls the braking device to decelerate the vehicle 1 according to the determined position GK4. If the acceleration for merging into the merging position GK4 is a_GK4, this acceleration a_GK4 is set to be lower than the acceleration a_GK3 when merging into the third candidate position GK3 shown in 6A of Fig. 6. That is, the control device 410 performs acceleration control so that the vehicle 1 can merge at candidate merging positions (GK1, GK2, GK3) until it reaches a predetermined target position, and if the vehicle 1 is unable to merge at a merging position until it reaches the predetermined target position, it determines a position (GK4) where the vehicle 1 can merge beyond the predetermined target position and controls the drive source to perform deceleration control according to the determined position.

[0053] (Specific example of driving assistance control 2) FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example 2 of the processing of the driving assistance device 400 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in FIG. 7, a road is described as an example of the driving environment of the vehicle 1, where the driving lane (host vehicle driving lane LN0) on which the vehicle 1 (host vehicle) is traveling merges into another driving lane LN1. In the specific example 1 described in FIG. 6, an example was described in which characteristic parts (wall surface EP1, end EP2) on the host vehicle driving lane LN0 are acquired (extracted), and a target position is set based on the inter-vehicle time for the extracted characteristic parts. In the specific example 2, an example is described in which, when a vehicle 700 is present ahead of the vehicle 1 traveling on the host vehicle driving lane LN0, a target position for merging is set based on the inter-vehicle time for the front vehicle 700.

[0054] 7, vehicle 1 is traveling in host vehicle lane LN0 at a predetermined vehicle speed set by ACC, and a leading vehicle 700 is traveling ahead of vehicle 1. Vehicle 1 is in a state of merging from host vehicle lane LN0 into another driving lane LN1. A leading vehicle 611 (first leading vehicle), a leading vehicle 612 (second leading vehicle), and a leading vehicle 613 (third leading vehicle) are traveling in the other driving lane LN1.

[0055] The control device 410 acquires the position of the rear end of the preceding vehicle 700 (its relative position with respect to the vehicle 1) based on information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F. The control device 410 calculates the inter-vehicle time ST3 using information from the wheel speed sensor 401 and the position of the preceding vehicle 700. The setting of the target position in the second specific example is the same as in the first specific example.

[0056] In specific example 2 shown in FIG. 7, the target position is set to a position closer to vehicle 1 compared to the target position set in specific example 1 (FIG. 6). For this reason, as shown in FIG. 6, no candidate position at which vehicle 1 can merge is set in front of the leading vehicle 611 (first leading vehicle). In specific example 2 shown in FIG. 7, the first candidate position GK1 is an intermediate position between the leading vehicle 611 (first leading vehicle) and the leading vehicle 612 (second leading vehicle). Furthermore, the second candidate position GK2 is an intermediate position between the leading vehicle 612 (second leading vehicle) and the leading vehicle 613 (third leading vehicle).

[0057] When multiple candidate positions are set, as in the case of Specific Example 1 (FIG. 6), the control device 410 selects one of the multiple candidate positions based on a predetermined priority order, and controls the driving source 21 to accelerate the vehicle 1 according to the selected candidate position. For example, when multiple candidate positions are set, the priority order may be set in descending order of proximity to the predetermined target position. For example, GK1 may be set as the first priority, GK2 may be set as the second priority, and so on. Note that when there is only one candidate position at which the vehicle 1 can merge, as in Specific Example 1, the control device 410 may control the driving source 21 to accelerate the vehicle 1 according to the candidate position.

[0058] (Processing flow by the driving assistance device 400) FIG. 5 explains the flow of processing performed by the driving support device 400 according to the embodiment.

[0059] In S501, the control device 410 starts the vehicle 1 traveling at a predetermined set speed. In S501, the control device 410 determines whether the ACC is operating. If the ACC is not operating (S501-NO), the determination process of S501 is repeated. On the other hand, if the determination in S501 indicates that the ACC is operating (S501-YES), the process proceeds to S502.

[0060] In S502, the control device 410 determines, based on information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F, whether the host vehicle driving lane LN0 in which the vehicle 1 is traveling is a merging lane that merges into another driving lane LN1, or whether another vehicle (for example, the vehicle ahead 700 in FIG. 7) is present ahead of the host vehicle driving lane LN0. If the host vehicle driving lane LN0 in which the vehicle 1 is traveling is not a merging lane and no vehicle ahead exists (S502-NO), the process returns to S501, and the same process is repeated.

[0061] On the other hand, if it is determined in S502 that the host vehicle driving lane LN0 in which the vehicle 1 is driving is a merging lane, or if another vehicle (forward vehicle 700) is present ahead of the host vehicle driving lane LN0 (S502-YES), the process proceeds to S503.

[0062] In S503, the control device 410 determines whether there are any vehicles ahead or behind based on information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F. If there are any vehicles ahead or behind, the control device 410 acquires the inter-vehicle time between the vehicles ahead and determines whether the inter-vehicle time between the vehicles ahead satisfies a predetermined inter-vehicle time (e.g., N1 seconds). Similarly, the control device 410 acquires the inter-vehicle time between the vehicles behind for each lane based on information from the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F and determines whether the inter-vehicle time between the vehicles behind satisfies a predetermined inter-vehicle time (e.g., N2 seconds).

[0063] In S504, when the host vehicle lane LN0 is a merging lane, the control device 410 sets a target position for the vehicle 1 to finish merging from the host vehicle lane LN0 to another lane LN1. The setting of this target position is as described in the specific example 1 of FIG. 6 and the specific example 2 of FIG. 7.

[0064] In S505, based on information from the external detection sensors 9A-9F, the control device 410 acquires the inter-vehicle time with respect to a vehicle (e.g., 611, 612, 613) ahead of vehicle 1 traveling in another travel lane LN1 and the speed of vehicle 1, and determines (acquires) candidate positions (e.g., GK1, GK2 in Figures 6 and 7) where vehicle 1 can merge before reaching the target position while maintaining a predetermined inter-vehicle time with respect to the vehicle ahead in the other travel lane LN1.

[0065] In S506, the control device 410 determines a merging position from the candidate positions acquired in S505. The control device 410 determines a merging position from the candidate positions based on the inter-vehicle time (ST_GK1, ST_GK2, ST_GK3) with respect to the vehicle ahead, the acceleration of the vehicle ahead (a_GK1, a_GK2, a_GK3), and the target position set in S504. The control device 410 can determine the merging position using various methods based on the inter-vehicle time with respect to the vehicle ahead, the acceleration of the vehicle ahead, and the target position. If multiple candidate positions are possible merging positions, the merging position may be determined from the multiple candidate positions according to a preset priority order.

[0066] In S507, the control device 410 acquires the inclination angle of the road surface on which the vehicle 1 is traveling based on information detected by the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F or the inertial measurement sensor unit 403, and determines whether the acquired inclination angle of the road surface exceeds a predetermined threshold inclination angle. Based on the result of the road surface inclination angle determination, the control device 410 changes the acceleration setting for merging into another lane when overtaking the preceding vehicle 600. When the inclination angle of the road surface acquired from the sensor is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold inclination angle (e.g., an uphill gradient of +5 percent), the control device 410 increases the acceleration for merging into another lane (e.g., 1.5 times), compared to the acceleration setting when the inclination angle of the road surface is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold inclination angle (e.g., a downhill gradient of -5 percent). Furthermore, when the inclination angle of the road surface acquired from the sensor is less than a predetermined threshold inclination angle (e.g., a downhill gradient of -5 percent), the control device 410 decreases the acceleration for merging into another lane (e.g., 0.5 times), compared to the acceleration setting when the inclination angle of the road surface is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold inclination angle.

[0067] In S508, the control device 410 acquires the roll angle (turning angle) of the vehicle 1 based on the information detected by the inertial measurement sensor unit 403, and determines whether the acquired roll angle exceeds a predetermined threshold roll angle (threshold turning angle). The control device 410 determines whether acceleration control is possible based on the determination result of the roll angle (turning angle). If the roll angle of the vehicle 1 acquired based on the information detected by the inertial measurement sensor unit 403 is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold roll angle (threshold turning angle), the control device 410 does not perform acceleration control to merge into another driving lane.

[0068] On the other hand, when the roll angle of the vehicle 1 is less than a predetermined threshold roll angle (threshold turning angle), the control device 410 changes the setting so that the acceleration when moving to another lane (changing lanes) to overtake the preceding vehicle 600 increases as the roll angle decreases. The predetermined threshold roll angle (threshold turning angle) for determining the roll angle differs between the left and right sides of the vehicle width of the vehicle 1. For example, when the vehicle 1 turns to the right, the external environment detection sensors (e.g., 9B and 9D in FIG. 3) having a detection range on the right side of the vehicle 1 (diagonally forward to the right, right side, and diagonally rear to the right) are tilted toward the road surface compared to the external environment detection sensors (e.g., 9C and 9E in FIG. 3) having a detection range on the left side of the vehicle 1 (diagonally forward to the left, left side, and diagonally rear to the left), and the external environment detection sensors (9B and 9D) tilted toward the road surface end up detecting the road surface on the right side of the vehicle 1. In such a driving state, the detection range of the external environment detection sensors (9B and 9D in FIG. 3) that detect the right side of the vehicle 1 may be narrower than the detection range of the external environment detection sensors (e.g., 9C and 9E in FIG. 3) that detect the left side of the vehicle 1. That is, the detection range of the external environment detection sensor on the turning direction side may be narrower than the detection range of the external environment detection sensor on the opposite side (non-turning direction) from the turning direction. To ensure a predetermined detection range and to prevent differences between the left and right detection ranges depending on the turning direction of the vehicle 1, it is preferable to set different threshold roll angles (threshold turning angles) on the left and right sides of the vehicle width of the vehicle 1 according to the turning direction of the vehicle. When the vehicle 1 turns right, the detection range of the right side of the vehicle 1 can be widened by setting the right threshold roll angle of the vehicle 1 smaller than the left threshold roll angle of the vehicle 1. For example, when turning right, the right threshold roll angle of the vehicle 1 may be 10 degrees and the left threshold roll angle of the vehicle 1 may be 15 degrees. Similarly, when vehicle 1 turns left, the threshold roll angles on the left and right can be set differently to prevent areas from occurring within the detection range of external environment detection sensors 9A-9F that cannot be detected by the external environment detection sensor on the left side of vehicle 1.In this way, by setting different threshold roll angles (threshold turning angles) on the left and right sides of the vehicle width of vehicle 1 in accordance with the vehicle's turning direction, it is possible to prevent differences in the detection ranges on the left and right sides depending on the turning direction in which vehicle 1 turns, and it is possible to ensure a specified detection range so that differences in the detection ranges on the left and right sides do not occur depending on the turning direction in which vehicle 1 turns.

[0069] In S509, the control device 410 acquires the slip ratio of the road surface on which the vehicle 1 is traveling based on information detected by the external environment detection sensors 9A-9F or the wheel speed sensor 401, and determines whether the acquired slip ratio of the road surface exceeds a predetermined threshold slip ratio. Based on the result of the determination of the road surface slip ratio, the control device 410 changes the acceleration setting for merging into another lane when overtaking the preceding vehicle 600. Here, the slip ratio can be calculated using various known methods, and can be obtained, for example, by dividing the difference (V1-V2) between the vehicle speed V1 and the wheel speed V2 by the vehicle speed V1. A slip ratio of 0% indicates a state in which the wheel speed and the vehicle speed (vehicle body speed) are equal, and the wheels are rolling on the road surface without locking.

[0070] For example, when the slip ratio of the road surface is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold slip ratio (e.g., 10%), the control device 410 does not perform acceleration control to merge into another lane. Furthermore, when the slip ratio is less than a second threshold slip ratio (e.g., 5%) that is lower than the first threshold slip ratio, the control device 410 sets a first acceleration. When the slip ratio is equal to or greater than the second threshold slip ratio (e.g., 5%) and less than the first threshold slip ratio (e.g., 10%), the control device 410 sets a second acceleration that is smaller than the first acceleration (e.g., second acceleration = 0.5 × first acceleration).

[0071] In S510, the control device 410 calculates the acceleration in the acceleration control. The control device 410 calculates the acceleration in the acceleration control by taking into account the various conditions of S503 to S509. Note that not all of the various conditions of S503 to S509 are essential conditions, and by taking into account at least the conditions of S503 to S505 of S503 to S509, the control device 410 can perform acceleration control to merge from the host vehicle's lane LN0 into another lane LN1.

[0072] In S511, the control device 410 determines whether or not a turn signal has been operated (turn signal determination). If a turn signal operation of the vehicle 1 has not been input (S511-NO), the process returns to S501, and the control device 410 repeats the same processes from S501 onwards.

[0073] On the other hand, if it is determined in S511 that a turn signal operation of the vehicle 1 has been input (S511-YES), the process proceeds to S512.

[0074] In S512, the control device 410 determines whether or not a change in attitude (e.g., yaw rate) of the vehicle 1 merging from its own lane LN0 into another lane has been measured to exceed a threshold (attitude change threshold, e.g., 20 deg / s) based on information from the inertial measurement sensor unit 403. If the change in attitude (yaw rate) of the vehicle 1 does not exceed the threshold (S512-NO), the process returns to S501, and the control device 410 repeats the same processes from S501 onwards.

[0075] On the other hand, if it is determined in S512 that the change in the attitude of the vehicle 1 (yaw rate) exceeds the threshold value (S512-YES), the process proceeds to S513.

[0076] In S513, the control device 410 starts acceleration control or deceleration control (merging assist) for merging into another lane. The control device 410 executes acceleration control or deceleration control (merging assist) based on the acceleration calculated in S510. The case where acceleration control is performed corresponds to the case described in 6A of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, and the case where deceleration control is performed corresponds to the case described in 6B of FIG. 6. That is, if the vehicle 1 is unable to merge at a position where it can merge until it reaches a predetermined target position, the control device 410 determines a position (GK4) where the vehicle 1 can merge beyond the predetermined target position, and controls the drive source to perform deceleration control according to the determined position.

[0077] In S514, the control device 410 determines whether a change in the attitude of the vehicle 1 (e.g., yaw rate) has exceeded a first merging end threshold (e.g., −15 deg / s) based on information from the inertial measurement sensor unit 403 to determine the end of merging from the host vehicle driving lane LN0 to the other driving lane LN1. If the change in the attitude of the vehicle 1 has not exceeded the first merging end threshold (S514-NO), the process returns to S513, and acceleration control or deceleration control continues (S513).

[0078] On the other hand, if it is determined in S514 that the change in the attitude of the vehicle 1 (for example, the yaw rate) exceeds the first merging end threshold (S514-YES), the process proceeds to S515.

[0079] In S515, the control device 410 determines whether a change in the attitude of the vehicle 1 (e.g., roll rate) has exceeded a second merging end threshold (e.g., −15 deg / s) to determine the end of merging from the host vehicle driving lane LN0 to the other driving lane LN1, based on information from the inertial measurement sensor unit 403. If the change in the attitude of the vehicle 1 has not exceeded the second merging end threshold (S515-NO), the process returns to S513, and acceleration control or deceleration control continues (S513).

[0080] On the other hand, if it is determined in S515 that the change in the attitude of the vehicle 1 (for example, the roll rate) exceeds the second merging end threshold (S515-YES), the process proceeds to S516.

[0081] In S516, the control device 410 ends the acceleration control or deceleration control (merging assist). After that, the process returns to S501, and the processes from S501 onwards are executed in the same manner.

[0082] <Summary of the embodiment> (Item 1) A driving assistance device disclosed in an embodiment is a driving assistance device (400) having an external detection sensor (9A-9F) for a vehicle and a control means (410) for controlling a drive source of the vehicle, wherein the control means (410) Based on information from the external detection sensor, the drive source is controlled to change the acceleration of the vehicle based on relative information including at least one of arrival time, distance, or relative speed with respect to a predetermined position ahead or another vehicle ahead in the vehicle's own lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and the driving conditions in another lane at the merging destination.

[0083] According to the driving assistance device of item 1, in a driving environment where the vehicle's driving lane merges into another driving lane, it is possible to change the vehicle's acceleration in accordance with a merging position determined in accordance with the situation of the other driving lane at the merging destination.

[0084] (Item 2) A driving assistance device disclosed in an embodiment includes: a wheel speed sensor (410) for detecting the speed of the vehicle; an inertial measurement sensor (403) for measuring the attitude of the vehicle; the control means (410) controls a drive source of the vehicle using information acquired by the external environment detection sensor, the wheel speed sensor, and the inertial measurement sensor; determining whether the host vehicle driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling is a merging lane that merges into another driving lane, or whether another vehicle is present ahead of the host vehicle driving lane, based on information from the external environment detection sensor; When the lane in which the vehicle is traveling is a merging lane, or when the other vehicle is present, a target position is set based on relative information including at least one of inter-vehicle time, inter-vehicle distance, and relative speed with respect to a predetermined position in the merging lane, or relative information including at least one of inter-vehicle time, inter-vehicle distance, and relative speed with respect to the other vehicle; determining a position in the other driving lane where the vehicle can merge before reaching the target position, based on relative information including at least one of a time interval, a distance between vehicles, or a relative speed of the vehicle with respect to a vehicle ahead of the vehicle traveling in the other driving lane, the relative information being acquired from information from the external environment detection sensor; The drive source is controlled to change the acceleration of the vehicle in accordance with the determined position.

[0085] According to the driving assistance device of item 2, in a driving environment where the vehicle's driving lane merges into another driving lane, it is possible to change the vehicle's acceleration in accordance with a merging position determined in accordance with the situation of the other driving lane at the merging destination.

[0086] (Item 3) The control means (410) compares the inter-vehicle time of the preceding vehicle with a predetermined time, The acceleration is set lower when the inter-vehicle time is shorter than the predetermined time than the acceleration set when the inter-vehicle time is longer than the predetermined time.

[0087] According to the driving assistance device of item 3, when a vehicle (host vehicle) merges from its own lane (merging lane) into another lane (adjacent lane), if it cannot merge in front of a vehicle ahead that is traveling farther in the other lane and must merge behind a vehicle ahead that is closer, the acceleration is set low. This makes it possible to ensure a sufficient inter-vehicle time between the vehicle (host vehicle) and the vehicle ahead after merging, and makes it possible to merge by acceleration control while minimizing anxiety felt by the rider.

[0088] (Item 4) The control means (410) controls the drive source by changing the setting so that the acceleration of the vehicle increases as the inter-vehicle time increases.

[0089] According to the driving assistance device of configuration 4, when a vehicle (host vehicle) merges from its own lane (merging lane) into another lane (adjacent lane), if it can merge ahead of a vehicle ahead that is farther away, the acceleration is set to be large. This allows the vehicle to merge with sufficient acceleration, and ensures a sufficient inter-vehicle time between the vehicle (host vehicle) and the vehicle ahead after merging.

[0090] (Item 5) When the vehicle cannot merge into the other lane by the time the vehicle reaches the target position, the control means (410) controls a braking means of the vehicle to decelerate the vehicle.

[0091] According to the driving assistance device of configuration 5, if it is not possible to merge into another driving lane by the target position, acceleration control just before merging is avoided and merging is performed using deceleration control, thereby making it possible to reduce anxiety felt by the rider.

[0092] (Item 6) When there are a first front vehicle and a second front vehicle following the first front vehicle as multiple front vehicles traveling in the other travel lane, the control means (410) determines a second position where the first front vehicle and the second front vehicle can merge, and controls the drive source to change the acceleration of the vehicle according to the determined second position.

[0093] According to the driving assistance device of item 6, when there are multiple vehicles ahead, it is possible to change the acceleration of the vehicle not only in accordance with the distance to one vehicle ahead but also in accordance with a merging position (second position) determined between a front vehicle and a rear vehicle among the multiple vehicles ahead. This makes it possible to assist in changing the acceleration so that the vehicle can merge at a more appropriate position between the front vehicle and the rear vehicle.

[0094] (Item 7) The control means (410) controls the drive source when a turn signal operation is input and a change in the attitude of the vehicle merging from the own vehicle's own lane into another lane is measured based on information from the inertial measurement sensor and exceeds a threshold value.

[0095] (Item 8) The information indicating a change in the attitude of the vehicle includes a yaw rate or a roll rate of the vehicle obtained based on a measurement result of the inertial measurement sensor, The control means (410) controls the drive source when the yaw rate or the roll rate exceeds the threshold value.

[0096] According to the driving assistance devices of items 7 and 8, it is possible to assist the vehicle in merging, reflecting the rider's intention to merge.

[0097] (Item 9) The control means (410) sets the target position to a position ahead of the preceding vehicle, and sets the target position so that the greater the speed or acceleration of the preceding vehicle, the greater the distance between the preceding vehicle and the target position.

[0098] (Item 10) When there are a plurality of vehicles ahead, the control means (410) sets the target position to a position ahead of a leading vehicle that is positioned at the forefront of the plurality of vehicles ahead, The target position is set so that the greater the speed or acceleration of the leading vehicle, the greater the distance between the leading vehicle and the target position.

[0099] According to the driving assistance devices of items 9 and 10, the distance between the vehicle ahead and the target position can be adjusted according to the speed of the vehicle ahead and the acceleration of the vehicle (own vehicle), and the distance from the vehicle ahead is secured, so that it becomes possible to merge by acceleration control while minimizing anxiety caused to the rider.

[0100] (Item 11) A driving assistance method for a driving assistance device disclosed in an embodiment is a driving assistance method for a driving assistance device having an external environment detection sensor for a vehicle and a control means for controlling a drive source of the vehicle, The control means (410) includes a step of controlling the drive source to change the acceleration of the vehicle based on information from the external detection sensor, and based on relative information including at least one of arrival time, distance, and relative speed relative to a predetermined position ahead in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling or a vehicle ahead, and based on the traveling conditions in the merging lane.

[0101] According to the driving assistance method of item 11, in a driving environment where the vehicle's driving lane merges into another driving lane, it is possible to change the vehicle's acceleration in accordance with a merging position determined based on the situation of the other driving lane at the merging destination.

[0102] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 2: power unit (drive source), 34: turn signal operator, 9A-9F: external detection sensors, 400: driving assistance device, 401: wheel speed sensor, 403: inertial measurement sensor unit (inertial measurement sensor), 410: control device, 411: processing unit

Claims

1. A driving assistance device having an external environment detection sensor for a vehicle, an inertial measurement sensor that measures the attitude of the vehicle, and a control means that controls a drive source of the vehicle, wherein the control means adjusts acceleration by controlling the drive source based on information from the inertial measurement sensor; Based on information from the external environment detection sensor, the drive source is controlled to change the acceleration of the vehicle based on relative information including at least one of an arrival time, a distance, and a relative speed with respect to a predetermined position ahead or another vehicle ahead in the own vehicle driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and a driving situation in another driving lane at a merging destination; setting a target position based on a predetermined position ahead of the vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, or relative information including at least one of a time gap, a distance gap, or a relative speed with respect to the other vehicle; determining a position in the other driving lane where the vehicle can merge before reaching the target position, based on relative information including at least one of a time interval, a distance between vehicles, or a relative speed of the vehicle with respect to a vehicle ahead of the vehicle traveling in the other driving lane, the relative information being acquired from information from the external environment detection sensor; A driving assistance device that controls the drive source so as to change the acceleration of the vehicle in accordance with the determined position.

2. a wheel speed sensor for detecting a speed of the vehicle; The control means controlling a drive source of the vehicle using information acquired by the external environment detection sensor, the wheel speed sensor, and the inertial measurement sensor; determining whether the lane in which the vehicle is traveling is a merging lane that merges into another lane, or whether another vehicle is present ahead of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, based on information from the external environment detection sensor; When the lane in which the vehicle is traveling is a merging lane, or when the other vehicle is present, the target position is set based on relative information including at least one of inter-vehicle time, inter-vehicle distance, and relative speed with respect to a predetermined position in the merging lane, or relative information including at least one of inter-vehicle time, inter-vehicle distance, and relative speed with respect to the other vehicle.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1.

3. The control means compares the inter-vehicle time of the preceding vehicle with a predetermined time, 3. The driving support device according to claim 2, wherein the acceleration is set lower when the inter-vehicle time is shorter than the predetermined time than when the inter-vehicle time is longer than the predetermined time.

4. 3. The driving support device according to claim 2, wherein the control means controls the drive source by changing a setting so that the acceleration of the vehicle increases as the inter-vehicle time increases.

5. 3. The driving assistance device according to claim 2, wherein the control means controls a braking means of the vehicle to decelerate the vehicle when the vehicle cannot merge into the other driving lane by the time the target position is reached.

6. The driving assistance device according to claim 2, characterized in that, when the multiple forward vehicles traveling in the other driving lane include a first forward vehicle and a second forward vehicle following the first forward vehicle, the control means determines a second position at which the vehicle can merge between the first forward vehicle and the second forward vehicle, and controls the drive source to change the acceleration of the vehicle in accordance with the determined second position.

7. 3. The driving assistance device according to claim 2, wherein the control means controls the drive source when a turn signal operation is input and a change in the attitude of the vehicle merging from the own vehicle's own lane into another lane is measured based on information from the inertial measurement sensor and exceeds a threshold value.

8. the information indicating a change in the attitude of the vehicle includes a yaw rate or a roll rate of the vehicle obtained based on a measurement result of the inertial measurement sensor; The control means The driving assistance device according to claim 7 , wherein the driving source is controlled when the yaw rate or the roll rate exceeds the threshold value.

9. 3. The driving assistance device according to claim 2, wherein the control means sets the target position at a position ahead of the preceding vehicle, and sets the target position so that the distance between the preceding vehicle and the target position increases as the speed or acceleration of the preceding vehicle increases.

10. When there are a plurality of vehicles ahead, the control means sets the target position to a position ahead of a leading vehicle that is positioned at the forefront of the plurality of vehicles ahead, 3. The driving assistance device according to claim 2, wherein the target position is set so that the greater the speed or acceleration of the leading vehicle, the greater the distance between the leading vehicle and the target position.

11. The driving assistance device described in Claim 8, characterized in that the control means acquires the roll angle of the vehicle based on information detected by the inertial measurement sensor, and if the acquired roll angle exceeds a predetermined threshold roll angle, does not perform acceleration control to merge into the other driving lane.

12. A driving assistance method for a driving assistance device having an external environment detection sensor for a vehicle, an inertial measurement sensor that measures the attitude of the vehicle, and a control means that controls a drive source of the vehicle, comprising: the control means adjusts acceleration by controlling the drive source based on information from the inertial measurement sensor, and controls the drive source to change the acceleration of the vehicle based on information from the external environment detection sensor, and based on relative information including at least one of arrival time, distance, and relative speed with respect to a predetermined position ahead or another vehicle ahead in the vehicle's own lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and on the traveling conditions in another traveling lane where the vehicle will merge, In the step, a target position is set based on a predetermined position ahead of the vehicle in a lane in which the vehicle is traveling, or based on relative information including at least one of a time gap, a distance gap, and a relative speed with respect to the other vehicle; determining a position in the other driving lane where the vehicle can merge before reaching the target position, based on relative information including at least one of a time interval, a distance between vehicles, or a relative speed of the vehicle with respect to a vehicle ahead of the vehicle traveling in the other driving lane, the relative information being acquired from information from the external environment detection sensor; A driving assistance method comprising controlling the drive source to change the acceleration of the vehicle in accordance with the determined position.

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