Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device which can reduce an anxiety of a crewman.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device 1 comprises: a determination unit 41; and a travel control unit 42. The determination unit 41 determines based on detection result of an external sensor 2, whether an obstacle or the other traveling vehicle exists or not in an adjacent lane adjacent to one side of an own vehicle lane in a vehicle width direction. The travel control unit 42 offsets, when an obstacle or the other traveling vehicle is determined to exist in the adjacent lane, a lateral position of the own vehicle V to the other side in the vehicle width direction in the own vehicle lane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device. [Background technology]

[0002] A known technology relating to a vehicle control device is a driving assistance device described in Patent Document 1. The driving assistance device described in Patent Document 1 determines whether an obstacle is located in an adjacent lane, and if it determines that an obstacle is located in the adjacent lane, it determines whether another traveling vehicle is present in the adjacent lane. If it determines that an obstacle is located in the adjacent lane and that another traveling vehicle is present, it moves the vehicle to the side opposite the adjacent lane. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6747079 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described above, the above technology aims to reduce the anxiety of the occupants by offsetting the lateral position of the vehicle to the side opposite the adjacent lane when an obstacle or another vehicle is present in the adjacent lane. However, this technology does not take into consideration the road structure on the side opposite the adjacent lane, and there is room for improvement in reducing the anxiety of the occupants.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device that can reduce the anxiety of occupants. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle control device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a determination unit that determines whether or not there is an obstacle or another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to one side of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling in the vehicle width direction, based on the detection results of a sensor that acquires the surrounding environment of the vehicle, and a driving control unit that offsets the lateral position of the vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to the other side in the vehicle width direction when the determination unit determines that there is an obstacle or another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, and the driving control unit adjusts the offset amount by which the lateral position of the vehicle is offset to the other side in the vehicle width direction, depending on the road structure on the opposite side of the adjacent lane.

[0007] In a vehicle control device according to an aspect of the present invention, the driving control unit may offset the lateral position of the host vehicle in the host lane to the other side in the vehicle width direction when a blind spot of the sensor exists in an adjacent lane, regardless of whether another vehicle is traveling in the adjacent lane. In the vehicle control device according to an aspect of the present invention, the driving control unit may reduce or set to zero an offset amount by which the lateral position of the host vehicle is offset to the other side in the vehicle width direction when a pedestrian or another vehicle is traveling on the opposite side from the adjacent lane.

[0008] In a vehicle control device according to an aspect of the present invention, the driving control unit may reduce the offset amount or set it to 0 when the road structure on the opposite side from the adjacent lane side is a pedestrian zone with only white lines or a lane facing an entrance / exit to a building. In a vehicle control device according to an aspect of the present invention, the driving control unit may not need to reduce the offset amount when the road structure on the opposite side from the adjacent lane side is a sidewalk with a curb. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle control device that can reduce the anxiety of occupants. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the vehicle control device of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a continuation of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle control device 1 according to this embodiment is a device that controls the lateral position of the host vehicle V in the host vehicle lane in which the host vehicle V is traveling. The vehicle control device 1 is mounted on the host vehicle V. The host vehicle V may be a passenger car or a freight vehicle. The host vehicle V can accommodate one or more occupants. The host vehicle V may be a vehicle that can be manually driven by a driver, or may be an autonomous vehicle that is capable of autonomous driving.

[0013] The control performed by the vehicle control device 1 may include, for example, at least one of CC (Cruise Control), ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), lane tracing assist, lane keep control, lane change assist, and overtaking assist.

[0014] The vehicle control device 1 includes an external sensor 2, an actuator 3, and an ECU 4 (Electronic Control Unit). The external sensor 2 is a sensor that acquires information about the surrounding environment of the host vehicle V. The external sensor 2 may include, for example, at least one of a camera, a millimeter-wave radar, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), etc. The actuator 3 is a controller for controlling the speed of the host vehicle V. The actuator 3 may include, for example, an actuator that controls the output of the engine or motor, or a brake actuator.

[0015] The ECU 4 is an electronic control unit having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The ECU 4, for example, loads a program recorded in the ROM into the RAM and executes the program loaded into the RAM with the CPU, thereby realizing various functions. The ECU 4 may be composed of multiple electronic control units. Functionally, the ECU 4 includes a determination unit 41 and a driving control unit 42.

[0016] Based on the detection results of the external sensor 2, the determination unit 41 determines whether or not there is an obstacle or another traveling vehicle in an adjacent lane (hereinafter simply referred to as an "adjacent lane") adjacent to one side of the own lane in the vehicle width direction. The determination method of the determination unit 41 is not particularly limited, and various known methods can be used (the same applies hereinafter). The adjacent lane may be a lane traveling in the same direction as the own lane, or an oncoming lane traveling in the opposite direction to the own lane. An obstacle is, for example, a parked vehicle. The obstacle is not particularly limited, and includes fixed obstacles such as road cones as well as moving obstacles such as bicycles. The other traveling vehicle may be, for example, a vehicle traveling or attempting to travel toward the own lane to avoid the obstacle.

[0017] The determination unit 41 determines the road structure on the opposite side of the adjacent lane based on the detection results of the external sensor 2. Examples of road structures include a white line pedestrian zone that is a pedestrian zone with only white lines, a lane facing an entrance / exit of a building, and a sidewalk with a curb. There are no particular limitations on the road structure, and any structure related to a road may be used. The determination unit 41 determines whether or not there is a pedestrian or another vehicle traveling on the opposite side of the adjacent lane.

[0018] The determination unit 41 determines whether or not a blind spot of the external sensor 2 exists within a predetermined range of the adjacent lane. The predetermined range is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a range corresponding to the detection range of the external sensor 2 (for example, 200 m). The blind spot of the external sensor 2 means a range that cannot be detected by the external sensor 2 due to at least one of the following reasons: the external sensor 2, an obstacle, or the road shape. The determination unit 41 determines whether or not a blind spot of the external sensor 2 exists within a predetermined range on the opposite side from the adjacent lane.

[0019] When there is an obstacle or another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, the traveling control unit 42 offsets the lateral position of the host vehicle V in the host lane to the other side in the vehicle width direction. The traveling control unit 42 adjusts the offset amount by which the lateral position of the host vehicle V is offset (hereinafter also simply referred to as "offset") to the other side in the vehicle width direction, depending on the road structure on the side opposite to the adjacent lane.

[0020] The driving control unit 42 reduces the offset amount when the road structure on the opposite side from the adjacent lane side is a white pedestrian zone or a lane facing an entrance / exit to a building. Reducing the offset amount means making it smaller than the normal offset amount, which is the offset amount by which the host vehicle V is offset under normal circumstances. The normal offset amount may be, for example, a predetermined reference amount, or a reference amount set based on the vehicle speed of the host vehicle V, etc. The normal offset amount is not particularly limited. The driving control unit 42 does not reduce the offset amount when the road structure on the opposite side from the adjacent lane side is a sidewalk with a curb.

[0021] If a blind spot of the external sensor 2 exists within a predetermined range of the adjacent lane, the driving control unit 42 offsets the host vehicle V in the host lane, regardless of whether there is another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane. If a blind spot of the external sensor 2 exists within a predetermined range on the opposite side of the adjacent lane, the driving control unit 42 does not offset the host vehicle V. If a pedestrian or another vehicle traveling on the opposite side of the adjacent lane is present, the driving control unit 42 reduces the offset amount by which the host vehicle V is offset. The driving control unit 42 offsets the host vehicle V by sending a control signal to the actuator 3.

[0022] Next, the offset process for offsetting the host vehicle V by the vehicle control device 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 2 and 3. The offset process is executed, for example, while the host vehicle V is traveling. In the offset process, when the process reaches an end, the process is restarted from the start after a predetermined time.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, first, the determination unit 41 determines whether or not an obstacle is present in the adjacent lane based on the detection result of the external sensor 2 (step S1). If the result in step S1 is YES, the determination unit 41 determines whether or not a blind spot of the external sensor 2 exists within a predetermined range of the adjacent lane (step S2). If the result in step S2 is NO, the determination unit 41 determines whether or not a blind spot of the external sensor 2 exists within a predetermined range on the opposite side of the adjacent lane (step S3). If the result in step S3 is NO, the determination unit 41 determines whether or not another traveling vehicle exists in the adjacent lane based on the detection result of the external sensor 2 (step S4). If the result in step S1 is NO, the result in step S3 is YES, or the result in step S4 is NO, the process ends without offsetting the host vehicle V.

[0024] If the answer is YES in step S2 or YES in step S4, the determination unit 41 determines whether or not a pedestrian or another vehicle is present on the side opposite the adjacent lane based on the detection result of the external sensor 2 (step S5), as shown in Fig. 3. If the answer is NO in step S5, the determination unit 41 determines whether or not the road structure on the side opposite the adjacent lane is a sidewalk with a curb based on the detection result of the external sensor 2 (step S6).

[0025] If the answer is NO in step S6, the determination unit 41 determines whether the road structure on the opposite side from the adjacent lane side is a lane facing a white line pedestrian zone or a building entrance / exit, based on the detection result of the external sensor 2 (step S7). If the answer is YES in step S6 or NO in step S7, the offset amount is set to the normal offset amount (step S8). On the other hand, if the answer is YES in step S5 or YES in step S7, the offset amount is reduced. Then, the driving control unit 42 offsets the host vehicle V with the set offset amount, and the process ends (step S9).

[0026] As described above, the vehicle control device 1 offsets the host vehicle V when there is an obstacle or another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane. At this time, the offset amount is adjusted according to the road structure on the opposite side of the adjacent lane. This allows the host vehicle V to be offset taking into account the road structure on the opposite side of the adjacent lane, thereby reducing the anxiety of the occupants.

[0027] When a blind spot of the external sensor 2 exists in the adjacent lane, the vehicle control device 1 offsets the host vehicle V to the side opposite the adjacent lane in the host vehicle's lane, regardless of whether there is another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane. This takes into account the blind spot in the adjacent lane and the possibility that the host vehicle V, another vehicle in the adjacent lane, and an obstacle may be side-by-side, thereby reducing the anxiety of the occupants.

[0028] In the vehicle control device 1, when a pedestrian or another vehicle is present on the opposite side of the adjacent lane, the offset amount is reduced. This allows the offset to be performed taking into consideration the pedestrian and other vehicle on the opposite side of the adjacent lane, thereby reducing the anxiety of the occupants.

[0029] In the vehicle control device 1, if the road structure on the opposite side of the adjacent lane is a white pedestrian zone or a lane facing an entrance / exit to a building, the offset amount is reduced. If the road structure on the opposite side of the adjacent lane is a sidewalk with a curb, the offset amount is not reduced. This makes it possible to specifically achieve the above-mentioned effect of reducing the anxiety of occupants by taking into account the road structure on the opposite side of the adjacent lane.

[0030] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The present invention can be embodied in various forms, including the above-described embodiments, with various modifications and improvements made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0031] In the above embodiment, the offset amount is reduced by the driving control unit 42, but instead, the offset amount may be set to 0. In the above embodiment, the driving control unit 42 may offset the host vehicle V and decelerate the host vehicle V. In the above embodiment, if there is a high possibility that another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane will jump out from the adjacent lane into the host vehicle's lane, the host vehicle V may be decelerated in advance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1...vehicle control device, 2...external sensor (sensor), 41...determination unit, 42...travel control unit, V...own vehicle.

Claims

1. a determination unit that determines whether or not an obstacle and another vehicle are present in an adjacent lane that is adjacent to one side of the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling in a vehicle width direction, based on a detection result from a sensor that acquires the surrounding environment of the host vehicle; a travel control unit that offsets a lateral position of the host vehicle in the host lane to the other side in the vehicle width direction when the determination unit determines that an obstacle and another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane are present, The traveling control unit adjusting an offset amount for offsetting the lateral position of the host vehicle to the other side in the vehicle width direction in accordance with a road structure on the opposite side to the adjacent lane side; The vehicle control device, wherein the driving control unit reduces or sets the offset amount to zero when the road structure on the opposite side to the adjacent lane is a pedestrian zone with only white lines or a lane facing an entrance / exit to a building.

2. A determination unit that determines whether or not there are obstacles or other vehicles traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to one side of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling in the vehicle width direction, based on the detection results of a sensor that acquires the surrounding environment of the vehicle; a travel control unit that offsets a lateral position of the host vehicle in the host lane to the other side in the vehicle width direction when the determination unit determines that an obstacle and another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane are present, The traveling control unit adjusting an offset amount for offsetting the lateral position of the host vehicle to the other side in the vehicle width direction in accordance with a road structure on the opposite side to the adjacent lane side; The vehicle control device, wherein the driving control unit does not reduce the offset amount when the road structure on the side opposite to the adjacent lane side is a sidewalk with a curb.

3. The traveling control unit 2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein when a blind spot of the sensor exists in the adjacent lane, the lateral position of the vehicle in the own lane is offset to the other side in the vehicle width direction, regardless of whether there is another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane.

4. The traveling control unit 3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein when a pedestrian or another vehicle is present on the opposite side of the adjacent lane, an offset amount for offsetting the lateral position of the vehicle to the other side in the vehicle width direction is reduced or set to zero.

Images