Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program, which enable performing more appropriate warning control according to road conditions.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device comprises: a recognition part that recognizes surrounding conditions of a vehicle; a determination part that determines, based on recognition results from the recognition part, whether or not the vehicle may deviate from its travelling lane; and a control part that outputs a deviation warning to the driver of the vehicle when the determination part determines that the vehicle may deviate from the travelling lane. The deviation warning includes a first deviation warning when the traveling lane of the vehicle is not a curved road, and a second deviation warning when the traveling lane is a curved road. The first and second deviation warnings are issued with at least one different level of warning intensity, and the control part, in the second deviation warning, performs warning with fewer levels than the first deviation warning.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants have been gaining momentum. To achieve this, efforts are being focused on research and development to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of preventive safety technologies. In relation to this, in recent years, technologies have been disclosed that, when it is determined that the driver is in a curve awareness state, in which the driver is aware of a curve ahead of the vehicle, increase the steering assist torque compared to when it is not determined that the driver is in a curve awareness state, or perform lane keeping control, such as issuing an alarm, providing information, operating the vehicle automatically, or operating the vehicle automatically, to prevent the vehicle from deviating from its lane, based on the time until the vehicle reaches a lane boundary (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5018092 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6658235 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, a problem with preventive safety technology is that there are cases where appropriate control of departure warnings according to road conditions cannot be executed.

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

[0006] The vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of a vehicle; a judgment unit that determines whether the vehicle is likely to deviate from its lane of travel based on the recognition result by the recognition unit; and a control unit that outputs a departure warning to the driver of the vehicle when the judgment unit determines that the vehicle is likely to deviate from its lane of travel, wherein the departure warning includes a first departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a lane other than a curved road and a second departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a curved road, and the first departure warning and the second departure warning are issued in at least one or more warning modes with different warning levels, and the control unit issues the second departure warning in fewer levels than the first departure warning.

[0007] (2) In the above aspect (1), the second deviation warning is a warning of a level greater than the lowest level of warning severity among the multiple different warning modes of the first deviation warning.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (1), the control unit maintains the warning level of the second deviation warning when the warning level becomes lower when switching from the second deviation warning to the first deviation warning based on the surrounding conditions.

[0009] (4) In the above aspect (1), the warning level of the second deviation warning is the same as the highest warning level of the first deviation warning.

[0010] (5) In the above aspect (1), the control unit sets the same termination condition for the first deviation warning and the second deviation warning.

[0011] (6): Another aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle control method in which a computer recognizes the surrounding conditions of a vehicle, determines whether the vehicle is likely to deviate from its lane of travel based on the recognized surrounding conditions, and outputs a departure warning to the driver of the vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle is likely to deviate from its lane of travel, the departure warning including a first departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a lane other than a curved road and a second departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a curved road, the first departure warning and the second departure warning being issued in at least one or more warning modes with different warning levels, and the second departure warning being issued in fewer levels than the first departure warning.

[0012] (7): Another aspect of the present invention provides a program that causes a computer to recognize the surrounding conditions of a vehicle, determine whether or not the vehicle is likely to deviate from its lane of travel based on the recognized surrounding conditions, and output a departure warning to the driver of the vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle is likely to deviate from its lane of travel, the departure warning including a first departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a lane other than a curved road and a second departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a curved road, the first departure warning and the second departure warning being issued in at least one or more warning modes with different warning levels, and the second departure warning being issued in fewer levels than the first departure warning. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the above aspects (1) to (7), more appropriate warning control can be performed in accordance with road conditions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle M equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2]FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of a state transition between a first deviation warning and a second deviation warning in an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of a deviation warning. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a departure warning in a first scene. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a departure warning in a second scene. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a departure warning in a third scene. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a departure warning in a fourth scene. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a deviation warning process according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0016] [Overall configuration] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle M equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. The vehicle M may be, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source may be an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0017] The vehicle M is equipped with, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) device 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a navigation device 50, a driver monitor camera 70, a driving operator 80, a driving assistance device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other via multiplexed communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, serial communication lines, a wireless communication network, etc. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and some of the configuration may be omitted, or other configurations may be added. The HMI 30 is an example of an "alarm unit" or a "notification unit." The driving assistance device 100 is an example of a "vehicle control device."

[0018] The camera 10 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is attached to any location on the vehicle M. When capturing an image of the front, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield, the back of the rearview mirror, or the like. The camera 10, for example, periodically and repeatedly captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle M. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0019] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle M and detects radio waves reflected by an object (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device 12 is attached to any location on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 may detect the position and speed of an object using an FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0020] The LIDAR 14 irradiates the surroundings of the vehicle M with light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths similar to light) and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 may be attached to any location on the vehicle M.

[0021] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 directly to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle M. Some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, and the object recognition device 16 are examples of "external environment detection devices."

[0022] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle M, or with various server devices via a wireless base station, using a network such as a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication).

[0023] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupant of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupant. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display unit 32, a speaker 34, and a vibration unit 36. The display unit 32 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device. The display unit 32 displays various images (including videos) in the embodiment. The display unit 32 may be integrated with the input unit as a touch panel. The speaker 34 outputs a predetermined sound (e.g., an alarm). The vibration unit 36 ​​vibrates at least one of the steering wheel 82 included in the driving controls 80, the seat in which the occupant sits, and the seatbelt in use, based on, for example, an instruction from the driving assistance device 100. For example, the vibration unit 36 ​​notifies the driver of the vehicle M (hereinafter referred to as the driver) of a predetermined situation by vibration. Furthermore, the HMI 30 may include a microphone, a buzzer, a touch panel, a switch, a key, etc. in addition to (or instead of) the display unit 32, the speaker 34, and the vibration unit 36. For example, the HMI 30 may include a changeover switch that changes the driving state (the content of driving control) of the vehicle M by the driver's operation.

[0024] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the yaw rate (for example, the rotational angular velocity around a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle M), a lateral acceleration sensor (lateral G sensor) that detects the lateral acceleration (lateral G) of the vehicle M, a direction sensor that detects the orientation of the vehicle M, and a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of the vehicle M (which may be the angle of the steering wheels or the operating angle of the steering wheel). The vehicle sensor 40 may also be provided with a position sensor that detects the position of the vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. The position sensor may also be a sensor that acquires position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50.

[0025] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores map information 54 in a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 identifies the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be identified or supplemented by an inertial navigation system (INS) that uses the output of the vehicle sensors 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may share some or all of its components with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter referred to as a map route) from the position of the vehicle M identified by the GNSS receiver 51 (or an arbitrary input position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52, with reference to the map information 54. The map information 54 is, for example, information representing road shapes using links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The map information 54 may include POI (Point Of Interest) information and the like. The map information 54 may also include, for example, lane center information or lane boundary information such as road dividing lines (hereinafter referred to as dividing lines) that divide lanes. The map information 54 may also include road information such as the radius of curvature (or curvature), gradient, and width of the road (or of each lane included in the road), traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, and the like. The map information 54 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with another device. The map information 54 may also be stored in a storage unit within the driving assistance device 100.

[0026] The navigation device 50 may provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be realized, for example, by the functions of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet device carried by the occupant. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current position and destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0027] The driver monitor camera 70 is, for example, a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitor camera 70 is attached to any location in the vehicle M in a position and orientation that allows it to capture an image of the head and upper body (including the position of the hands) of the driver seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle M from the front (in an orientation that captures the face). For example, the driver monitor camera 70 is attached to the top of a display device provided in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M. The driver monitor camera 70 outputs an image of the interior of the vehicle M, including the driver, captured from its installed position to the driving assistance device 100.

[0028] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82, an accelerator pedal 84, a brake pedal 86, a turn signal switch, a shift lever, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to the driving assistance device 100 or some or all of the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220. The steering wheel 82 is an example of a "steering operator." The accelerator pedal 84 and the brake pedal 86 are examples of a "speed operator."

[0029] For example, the steering wheel 82 is provided with a steering wheel sensor (SW sensor) 82A and a vibration unit 36 ​​that vibrates the part that the driver grips. The SW sensor 82A detects whether the driver is in contact with the steering wheel 82. The SW sensor 82A also detects the amount of operation of the steering wheel 82 (torque (also referred to as steer torque), steering amount, steering change rate) that changes in response to the driver's operation of the steering wheel 82 (hereinafter referred to as steering operation). The SW sensor 82A may also detect whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82. The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be annular, and may be in the form of an irregularly shaped steering wheel, a joystick, buttons, or the like. In this case, the SW sensor 82A detects the amount of operation according to the respective form.

[0030] The accelerator pedal 84 is provided with an accelerator pedal sensor (AP sensor) 84A. The AP sensor 84A detects whether the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal 84 (hereinafter referred to as accelerator operation) is on or off, and the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal 84 (amount of opening change, rate of opening change) that changes in response to the operation. The brake pedal 86 is provided with a brake pedal sensor (BP sensor) 86A. The BP sensor 86A detects whether the driver's operation of the brake pedal 86 (hereinafter referred to as brake operation) is on or off, and the amount of operation of the brake pedal 86 (amount of opening change, rate of opening change) that changes in response to the operation. The accelerator operation and the brake operation are each an example of a "speed operation."

[0031] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) to the driving wheels for driving the vehicle M. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, etc., and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU controls the above components in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0032] Braking device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and an ECU. The ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from driving assistance device 100 or information input from driving operator 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. Braking device 210 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operation of brake pedal 86 included in driving operator 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that braking device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from driving assistance device 100 to transmit hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0033] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steered wheels in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0034] [Driving assistance devices] The driving assistance device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a driving state detection unit 120, a determination unit 130, a control unit 140, and a storage unit 150. The recognition unit 110, the driving state detection unit 120, the determination unit 130, and the control unit 140 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Furthermore, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or an SOC (System On Chip), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) into a drive device.

[0035] For example, settings are made within the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 so that instructions from the driving support device 100 to the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 are executed with priority over detection results from the driving operator 80. Regarding braking, if the braking force based on the operation amount of the brake pedal 86 is greater than the instruction from the driving support device 100, the latter may be set to be executed with priority. Furthermore, communication priority in an in-vehicle local area network (LAN) may be used as a mechanism for executing instructions from the driving support device 100 with priority.

[0036] The storage unit 150 may be realized by the various storage devices described above, or a solid state drive (SSD), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a read only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM). The storage unit 150 stores, for example, programs and various other information. The storage unit 150 may also store the map information 54 described above.

[0037] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M based on information input from an external environment detection device. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position, speed, acceleration, and other status of objects present in the vicinity (e.g., within a predetermined distance (first predetermined distance) from the vehicle M). Examples of objects include traffic participants such as other vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians, as well as road structures such as curbs, medians, and guardrails. The position of an object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (e.g., the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of an object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or by an area. If the object is a moving object, the "state" of the object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or the "behavioral state" (e.g., whether the object is changing lanes or about to change lanes). The recognition unit 110 also recognizes the relative position and relative speed of the object.

[0038] The recognition unit 110 also recognizes, for example, the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 110 performs known analysis processing (e.g., edge extraction, feature extraction, pattern matching processing, etc.) on an image captured by the camera 10 (hereinafter, referred to as a camera image), and recognizes the position and pattern of the lane markings around the vehicle M (e.g., an arrangement of solid and dashed lines) from the analysis results. The recognition unit 110 may also refer to map information 54 based on the position information of the vehicle M to recognize the position and pattern of the lane markings around the vehicle M. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the driving lane using at least one of the position and pattern of the lane markings obtained from the camera image and the position and pattern of the lane markings obtained from the map information. The recognition unit 110 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including not only lane markings but also shoulders, curbs, medians, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing results from the INS may be taken into account. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize adjacent lanes adjacent to the driving lane. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the radius of curvature (or curvature), gradient, width, etc. of the driving lane (or road) from at least one of a camera image and map information. The recognition unit 110 also recognizes obstacles, stop lines, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena from the object recognition results. Obstacles are objects that the vehicle M needs to avoid contacting, and include, for example, other vehicles.

[0039] The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the position and orientation of the vehicle M with respect to the traveling lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the deviation of the reference point of the vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle it forms with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the vehicle M as the relative position and orientation of the vehicle M with respect to the traveling lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the reference point of the vehicle M with respect to either side edge of the traveling lane (a dividing line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the vehicle M with respect to the traveling lane. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the position and orientation of other vehicles traveling in the traveling lane of the vehicle M, or recognize whether the other vehicles are located on the center side of the traveling lane or on the dividing line side as viewed from the vehicle M.

[0040] The driving state detection unit 120 detects the driver's driving state of the vehicle M. The driving state includes, for example, the driving state of the vehicle M due to the driver's operation and the driving state of the vehicle M due to the driving control of the control unit 140. For example, the driving state detection unit 120 detects the driver's steering operation (lane keeping steering operation) to keep the vehicle M in the driving lane (to prevent the vehicle M from deviating from the lane). For example, the driving state detection unit 120 detects the lane keeping steering operation by the driver when a steering operation is detected that causes the steering torque detected by the SW sensor 82A to fall within a predetermined range. Note that the driving state detection unit 120 may detect the lane keeping steering operation by the driver when the steering operation within the predetermined range continues for a predetermined time (first predetermined time) or more. Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect the lane keeping steering operation by the driver when the vehicle M is traveling in the center of the lane due to the steering operation, for example, based on the steering operation and a change in the distance between the vehicle M and the left and right lane markings on the vehicle M.

[0041] Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect, for example, a speed operation of the vehicle M by the driver (an operation for adjusting (changing) the speed of the vehicle M). In this case, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect, for example, the start (ON state) or end (OFF state) of the accelerator operation by the driver based on the detection result of the AP sensor 84A, or detect the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 84. Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect the start or end of the brake operation by the driver based on the detection result of the BP sensor 86A, or detect the operation amount of the brake pedal 86. Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect, for example, the speed change amount (acceleration) of the vehicle M caused by the driver's speed operation based on the detection result of the vehicle sensor 40.

[0042] Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect whether the driver is in a predetermined state based on an image captured by the driver monitor camera 70. The predetermined state may be, for example, a state in which the driver is monitoring the road ahead (or the surroundings of the vehicle M), or a state in which driving control on the system side of the vehicle M can be quickly handed over to manual driving by the driver. The driver monitoring the road ahead means, for example, that the driver's line of sight is directed ahead of the vehicle M (in the traveling direction) based on the analysis result of the image captured by the driver monitor camera 70.

[0043] Furthermore, driving state detection unit 120 may detect a state in which the driver is not performing a driving operation (a state in which the driver is not touching driving controls 80) or a state in which the driver's driving operation is impaired (in other words, a state in which the driver is driving absentmindedly) based on the detection results of each of SW sensor 82A, AP sensor 84A, and BP sensor 86A and the state of the driver included in the image captured by driver monitor camera 70. Furthermore, driving state detection unit 120 may detect the type of automatic driving control executed by control unit 140.

[0044] The determination unit 130 includes, for example, a road condition determination unit 132 and a deviation determination unit 134. The road condition determination unit 132 determines the condition of the road on which the vehicle M is traveling. For example, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110, the road condition determination unit 132 determines whether the road on which the vehicle M is currently traveling is a curved road or whether a curved road exists within a predetermined distance (second predetermined distance) in the traveling direction of the vehicle M. For example, the road condition determination unit 132 determines that the traveling lane is a curved road when the radius of curvature of the traveling lane of the vehicle M is less than a threshold value (first threshold value). Furthermore, the road condition determination unit 132 determines that a curved road exists in the traveling lane when the radius of curvature within a predetermined distance in the traveling direction is less than a threshold value (first threshold value). The road condition determination unit 132 may use a curvature instead of a radius of curvature in determining whether the road is a curved road. In this case, the determination is made based on whether another threshold value is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The road condition determination unit 132 may also determine whether the lane in the traveling direction of the vehicle M is straight based on the radius of curvature or the curvature.

[0045] The departure determination unit 134 determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the driving lane. For example, the departure determination unit 134 determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the driving lane based on the positional relationship between the vehicle M and the left and right dividing lines that demarcate the driving lane of the vehicle M recognized by the recognition unit 110, as well as the traveling direction and speed of the vehicle M. The departure determination unit 134 may also determine whether or not the vehicle M is currently deviating from the driving lane.

[0046] For example, the deviation determination unit 134 determines that there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the driving lane if there is a possibility that the reference position of the vehicle M (e.g., an edge, center of gravity, center) will go beyond (pass over) either of the left or right dividing lines that divide the driving lane recognized by the recognition unit 110 and deviate from the driving lane, and determines that there is no possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the driving lane if there is no possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the driving lane.

[0047] The deviation determination unit 134 may vary the deviation determination conditions depending on the road conditions around the vehicle M determined by the road condition determination unit 132. For example, when the lane on which the vehicle M is traveling is a straight road (other than a curved road), the deviation determination unit 134 determines, as a first condition, that there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the traveling lane if the shortest distance between the lane marking and the vehicle M is less than a predetermined distance (third predetermined distance), and determines that there is no possibility of deviation if the distance is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance.

[0048] Furthermore, when the lane on which vehicle M is traveling is a curved road, as a second condition, the deviation determination unit 134 derives a predicted future path of vehicle M from the speed and yaw rate of vehicle M, and calculates a time to line crossing (TTLC) (=d / VM) until vehicle M reaches the lane on the basis of the distance (deviation path length d) between the derived predicted path and the lane marking (arc) and the speed VM. If the time to line crossing TTLC is less than a predetermined time (a second predetermined time), the deviation determination unit 134 determines that vehicle M is likely to deviate from the lane, and if the time to line crossing TTLC is equal to or greater than the predetermined time, it determines that there is no possibility of deviation. Note that the lane markings targeted in the second condition may be limited to the outer lane markings of the inner and outer lane markings that demarcate the curved road. For example, if the curved road curves to the left, the right lane marking is targeted, and if the curved road curves to the right, the left lane marking is targeted. Furthermore, when the dividing line that is the subject of the second condition is limited to the outer dividing line as described above, the deviation determination unit 134 may perform a deviation determination under the first condition in terms of the positional relationship between the inner dividing line and the vehicle M, even when the vehicle M is traveling on a curved road. Note that the deviation determination unit 134 may also make a determination on a straight road using the same determination conditions as for a curved road, and may also make a determination on a curved road using the same determination conditions as for a straight road.

[0049] The control unit 140 controls various functions, devices, etc. of the vehicle M. For example, the control unit 140 issues an alert (notification) to the occupants (including the driver) of the vehicle M and executes driving control to control at least one of the speed and steering of the vehicle M, based on information obtained from the communication device 20, the HMI 30, the vehicle sensors 40, the driver monitor camera 70, etc., information detected by the SW sensor 82A, the AP sensor 84A, and the BP sensor 86A, the recognition result by the recognition unit 110, the detection result by the driving state detection unit 120, and the determination result by the determination unit 130, etc.

[0050] For example, when the departure determination unit 134 determines that there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the driving lane, the control unit 140 controls at least one of the HMI 30 and the steering device 220 to execute control (road departure prevention control) to prevent the vehicle M from deviating from the driving lane. The road departure prevention control is, for example, the execution (activation) of at least one of the following controls (a) to (c): (a) The control unit 140 causes the HMI 30 to output information (images, audio, etc.) indicating that there is a possibility that the vehicle M may deviate or to prompt the driver to steer or adjust the speed to prevent the vehicle from deviating. (b) The control unit 140 uses the vibration unit 36 ​​to vibrate the steering wheel 82 . (c) The control unit 140 controls the steering device 220 (steer reaction force control) so that the vehicle M returns to the center of the traveling lane (so that the vehicle M maintains its position within the lane).

[0051] The control (a) above may include control of turning on or blinking an output unit that outputs a predetermined light, instead of (or in addition to) outputting an image or sound. The control (b) above may include control of vibrating the seat in which the driver is seated or a seat belt that is in use, instead of (or in addition to) vibrating the steering wheel 82. Execution of at least one of (a) and (b) above by the control unit 140 is an example of outputting a "departure warning." The departure warning may also include the control (c) above. The road departure prevention control may also include other controls that assist the vehicle M or the driver to prevent the vehicle M from deviating from its lane.

[0052] Furthermore, the control unit 140 may execute driving controls such as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control System) control that causes the vehicle M to travel at a constant speed (set vehicle speed) in a driving lane at a preset speed, LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance System) control that causes the vehicle M to travel in the center of the driving lane, and ALC (Auto Lane Change) control that causes the vehicle M to change lanes by manipulating at least the steering of the vehicle M, based on the recognition results by the recognition unit 110, etc., and instructions from the driver via the HMI 30. The control unit 140 may also execute various driving controls such as CMBS (Collision Mitigation Brake System) control that warns the driver and performs braking control on the vehicle M when there is a possibility that the vehicle M may come into contact with an obstacle, and emergency stop control that stops the vehicle M in a safe position. When executing these driving controls, the control unit 140 executes automatic driving control that automatically controls at least one of the steering and speed of the vehicle M.

[0053] The control unit 140 also includes, for example, a notification control unit 142. The notification control unit 142 notifies the occupants (including the driver) of predetermined information via the HMI 30. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the driving of the vehicle M, such as information related to the state of the vehicle M and information related to driving control. The information related to the state of the vehicle M includes, for example, the speed of the vehicle M, engine speed, and shift position. The information related to driving control includes, for example, the type of driving control (driving state) currently being executed, the reason for the operation of the driving control, the status of the driving control, and information indicating that the driving control has started or ended. The information related to driving control may include an alert to the driver (for example, a departure alert), information prompting a predetermined driving operation, or information calling attention. The predetermined information may also include information related to the current location and destination of the vehicle M, the remaining amount of fuel, and the like, and may also include information unrelated to driving control of the vehicle M, such as television programs, content (for example, movies) stored on a storage medium such as a DVD, etc.

[0054] For example, the notification control unit 142 may generate an image including the above-described predetermined information and display the generated image on the display unit 32 of the HMI 30, or may generate sound indicating the predetermined information and output the generated sound from the speaker 34 of the HMI 30. The sound is output, for example, when driving control is started or stopped, when a call comes in, when the image to be displayed is switched, or when the vehicle M enters a predetermined state. Furthermore, the notification control unit 142 may notify the driver (departure warning) by causing the vibration unit 36 ​​to vibrate the steering wheel 82, the seat, the seat belt, etc.

[0055] [Notification Control] Next, the details of the notification control in the notification control unit 142 will be specifically described. The notification control unit 142 notifies the driver of information relating to the content of the driving control, etc., via the HMI 30. For example, when the deviation determination unit 134 determines that there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the driving lane while the driver is manually driving (including during automatic driving that assists manual driving), the notification control unit 142 outputs a deviation warning to the driver. In the following description, the deviation warning is assumed to include all of the controls (a) to (c) in the road departure prevention control described above, but is not limited to this and may include one or two of these controls.

[0056] In the embodiment, the deviation warning includes, for example, a first deviation warning when the vehicle M is traveling on a road other than a curved road, and a second deviation warning when the vehicle M is traveling on a curved road. Each of the first deviation warning and the second deviation warning is issued, for example, in at least one or more warning modes with different warning levels. "Different warning levels" means that the type and / or content of the warning is different. For example, whether or not an image is displayed by the display unit 32, whether or not audio is output by the speaker 34, and whether or not vibration is output by the vibration unit 36 ​​are examples of different warning levels. Examples of different warning levels may include different content or color tones of displayed images, different sound content or volume, and different vibration magnitudes and intervals. Furthermore, "issuing a warning in one warning mode" means issuing a warning at one level of warning level, and "issuing a warning in two or more levels of warning mode" means issuing a warning at two or more levels of warning level in stages, for example, over time or depending on the likelihood of deviation, the circumstances of the deviation, etc. When issuing a warning in two or more stages, the notification control unit 142 issues a warning so that the warning level increases in stages, for example. "Increasing the warning level" means increasing the number of types of warning, displaying an image in a color that is easy for the driver to see, highlighting the image by flashing it, increasing the warning sound, strengthening the vibration, or a combination of these.

[0057] Furthermore, the notification control unit 142 issues the second departure warning with fewer levels than the first departure warning, for example. For example, if the first departure warning has two levels, the notification control unit 142 issues the second departure warning with one level, or if the first departure warning has four levels, the notification control unit 142 issues the second departure warning with two levels. This makes it possible to efficiently and reliably notify the driver of the risk of departure on a curved road.

[0058] Here, since the road on which the vehicle M is traveling includes, for example, a mixture of curved roads and straight roads (an example of a road other than a curved road), an appropriate state transition is required between the first departure warning and the second departure warning. Therefore, the notification control unit 142 appropriately transitions the departure warning depending on the road conditions.

[0059] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state transition between a first departure warning and a second departure warning in an embodiment. In the example of FIG. 2, the departure determination unit 134 continuously performs departure determination at a predetermined cycle or timing while the vehicle M is traveling (departure monitoring). In departure management, if a first condition is established (if the first condition is satisfied), the notification control unit 142 issues (activates) a first departure warning (first stage). Furthermore, if at least a portion of the vehicle M deviates from the lane, the notification control unit 142 issues a first departure warning (second stage) that is more severe than the first departure warning (first stage). In other words, in the example of FIG. 2, in the first departure warning, in order to achieve both functionality and acceptability, the behavior of the warning is differentiated depending on whether the vehicle deviates from the lane or not, and the warning is escalated when the vehicle deviates. The output condition for the first departure warning (second stage) may include, instead of at least a portion of the vehicle M having deviated from the lane, a determination that there is a possibility of the vehicle M deviating from the lane even after a predetermined time (third predetermined time) has elapsed since the first departure warning (first stage) was output (or even after the vehicle M has traveled a predetermined distance (fourth predetermined distance) or more). If a predetermined termination condition is met while the first departure warning (second stage) is being executed (activated), the notification control unit 142 suppresses (terminates) activation of the departure warning, thereby continuing departure monitoring. The predetermined termination condition may be, for example, the driving state detection unit 120 detecting a steering operation (lane keeping steering operation) by the driver or a speed operation (deceleration operation), or the departure determination unit 134 determining that there is no possibility of the vehicle M deviating from the driving lane due to these operations.

[0060] Furthermore, if a second condition is met during deviation monitoring, the notification control unit 142 issues a second deviation warning. In this case, the notification control unit 142 issues the second deviation warning at one level less than the first deviation warning. Furthermore, the notification control unit 142 sets the second deviation warning to a level greater than the lowest level of the multiple different warning levels of the first deviation warning. This makes it possible to more efficiently and reliably notify the driver of the degree of urgency (risk) of deviation on a curved road, since curved roads require more steering than straight roads and are therefore more likely to result in deviation, and allows the driver to respond promptly.

[0061] Furthermore, if the second condition is met while the first departure warning (first stage) is being issued, the notification control unit 142 switches from the first departure warning to the second departure warning and issues the notification. In this case, the notification control unit 142 issues the second departure warning at a higher warning level (mode) than the first departure warning (first stage), which has the lowest warning level. As a result, it is possible to issue a departure warning in stages and to more efficiently and reliably notify the driver of the level of urgency regarding the curve departure.

[0062] Furthermore, the notification control unit 142 may switch to the first departure warning when the first condition is satisfied while the second departure warning is being issued. In this case, the notification control unit 142 may maintain the warning level of the second departure warning when the warning level would be reduced by switching to the first departure warning. For example, if the first condition is satisfied at the same time as the second condition is no longer satisfied, and the departure warning is continuously issued, this indicates that danger has not been avoided. Therefore, by suppressing the warning level from being reduced, it is possible to prevent the driver from misunderstanding the content of the notification due to the warning. Therefore, it is possible to output a more appropriate departure warning according to road conditions. In the example of FIG. 2, when the first condition is satisfied while the second departure warning is being issued, the notification control unit 142 issues a notification with the same warning level as the current departure warning or a first departure warning (second stage) with a higher warning level than the current one. The warning level of the second departure warning may be the same as the highest warning level of the first departure warning (first departure warning (second stage) in FIG. 2). This allows for a similar notification to be given without switching warnings in situations where danger has not been avoided even when different departure warnings are successively activated, thereby reducing the annoyance felt by the driver due to changes in notification. Therefore, a more appropriate departure warning can be output depending on the situation.

[0063] If a predetermined termination condition is met while the first departure warning (first stage) or the second departure warning is being output (for example, if it is determined that there is no possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from its lane), the notification control unit 142 suppresses (terminates) the activation of the departure warning, thereby continuing departure monitoring. Here, the termination conditions for the first departure warning (first stage, second stage) and the second departure warning are set to the same condition. This prevents the driver from misunderstanding the notification content due to any warning remaining, and reduces the annoyance of the notification. The notification control unit 142 may vary the termination condition depending on the surrounding circumstances, the driver's driving conditions, etc.

[0064] [Specific example of deviation warning] Next, a specific example of a departure warning in the embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of a departure warning. In the example of FIG. 3, the details of the warning display, the warning sound, the vibration (steer vibration) to the steering wheel 82, and the steering assist (reaction force control) are shown for each type of departure warning (operation mode) (first departure warning (first stage), second departure warning, first departure warning (second stage)). For example, of the controls (a) to (c) of the road departure prevention control described above, the warning display and warning sound correspond to control (a), the steering vibration corresponds to control (b), and the steering assist corresponds to control (c). In addition, a "◯" mark in FIG. 3 indicates that the corresponding warning is issued, and an "X" mark indicates that the corresponding warning is not issued. Note that the types and details of the warnings in the embodiment are not limited to these.

[0065] In the example of FIG. 3, in the first departure warning (first stage) indicated by identification number (1), a warning display is issued and a warning display image IM10 is displayed on the display unit 32. The warning display image IM10, for example, includes an image IM11 simulating vehicle M and images IM12 and IM13 simulating left and right lane markings that demarcate the lane in which vehicle M is traveling, displayed at a position corresponding to the position of vehicle M. In the warning display for the first departure warning (first stage), the lane marking from which vehicle M may depart is displayed in the same color (e.g., white) or pattern as the other lane markings. In the first departure warning (first stage), no warning sound is output and no steering vibration is performed. Furthermore, in the first departure warning (first stage), steering assistance (reaction force control) is executed.

[0066] In the second departure warning indicated by identification number (2), as a warning mode with a greater degree of warning than the first departure warning (first stage), in the warning display image IM10 displayed on the display unit 32, an image IM13 that resembles a lane marking from which the vehicle M may depart is highlighted (for example, displayed in orange) more than the image IM12 that resembles the other lane marking. Furthermore, in the second departure warning, no warning sound is output, but steering vibration is performed as a warning mode with a greater degree of warning than the first departure warning (first stage). In addition, in the second departure warning (second stage), steering assistance (reaction force control) is executed.

[0067] The first departure warning (second stage) indicated by identification number (3) is issued in the same warning manner as the second departure warning, which is a warning manner that is gradually more severe than the first departure warning (first stage). An audible warning may be output for the first departure warning (second stage). Furthermore, an audible warning may also be output for the second departure warning. In this case, the audible warnings for the first departure warning (second stage) and the second departure warning may be the same, or the first departure warning (second stage) may be a warning sound that is more severe (for example, louder) than the second departure warning. In this way, a more appropriate departure warning can be output depending on the situation, and the driver can be alerted to the surrounding conditions and promptly perform steering operations, etc.

[0068] [Departure warning based on vehicle M's behavior] Next, a specific description will be given of a departure warning based on the behavior of the vehicle M relative to road conditions. In the following, it is assumed that the road condition is near a curved road, and differences in the behavior of the vehicle M will be further described by dividing it into several situations.

[0069] <Scene 1> FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a departure warning in a first scenario. In the example of FIG. 4, vehicle M is traveling on lane L1 at a speed VM (hereinafter, lane L1 will be referred to as "driving lane L1" as necessary). Lane L1 is divided by left and right dividing lines LN1 and LN2. The example of FIG. 4 shows a curved road that curves to the left with respect to the traveling direction of vehicle M. In this case, dividing line LN1 is the inside dividing line and dividing line LN2 is the outside dividing line. In the example of FIG. 4, the position of vehicle M at time T* is represented as M(T*) and its speed as VM(T*). In the following description, times T1, T2, and T3 are assumed to be slower in this order. Furthermore, vehicle M is assumed to be traveling under manual driving control by the driver using driving controls 80, and a departure warning (road departure prevention control) can be activated depending on the situation.

[0070] In the first scene, at time T1, the departure determination unit 134 determines that there is no possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the lane L1, so no departure warning is output. At time T2, the road condition determination unit 132 determines that the lane L1 on which the vehicle M is traveling is a curved road. At time T2, the departure determination unit 134 determines that there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the lane L1 (marking line LN2) due to a second condition. In this case, the notification control unit 142 outputs a second departure warning (for example, a warning mode with identification number (2) shown in FIG. 3). At time T3, it is determined that there is no possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the lane due to the driver's steering operation, etc., so the departure warning is terminated.

[0071] <Scene 2> 5 is a diagram for explaining departure warning in the second scenario. In the second scenario, the position of vehicle M relative to lane L1 is different from that in the first scenario at times T1 to T3. Therefore, the following explanation will mainly focus on differences in departure warning based on the difference in the position of vehicle M. The same applies to the third and fourth scenarios described below.

[0072] In the second scene, at time T1, the road condition determination unit 132 determines that the lane L1 of the vehicle M is not a curved road. In this case, the departure determination unit 134 determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the lane L1 (marking line LN1) based on the first condition, and determines that there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the lane L1 at time T1. In this case, the notification control unit 142 outputs a first departure warning (first stage) (for example, the warning mode of identification number (1) shown in FIG. 3). Furthermore, at time T2, at least a portion of the vehicle M deviates from the lane L1, so the notification control unit 142 outputs a first departure warning (second stage) (for example, the warning mode of identification number (3) shown in FIG. 3). Note that in the second scene, the marking line LN1 is the inner marking line LN1 of the curved road. Therefore, even if the road condition determination unit 132 determines that the lane L1 is a curved road, the departure determination unit 134 of the embodiment performs a departure determination based on the first condition without applying the second condition. At time T3, it is determined that there is no possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from its lane due to the driver's steering operation or the like, and therefore the deviation warning is terminated.

[0073] <Scene 3> FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a departure warning in a third scenario. In the third scenario, at time T1, the road condition determination unit 132 determines that the lane L1 of the vehicle M is not a curved road. In this case, the departure determination unit 134 determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the lane L1 (marking line LN1) based on the first condition. In the third scenario, it is determined that there is a possibility of departure from the lane L1, and then it is determined immediately thereafter that at least a portion of the vehicle M has deviated from the lane L1. In this case, the notification control unit 142 outputs a first departure warning (first stage), and then (after a predetermined time (fourth predetermined time) has elapsed) outputs the first departure warning (second stage) continuously (in stages).

[0074] Furthermore, at time T2, the road condition determination unit 132 determines that the lane L1 on which the vehicle M is traveling is a curved road. Furthermore, the departure determination unit 134 determines that there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the lane L1 (marking line LN2) due to the second condition. In this case, the notification control unit 142 outputs a second departure warning. In the third scenario, by keeping the warning level (warning mode) the same when switching the departure warning (when switching from the first departure warning (second stage) to the second departure warning), it is possible to reduce the annoyance to the driver caused by switching the notification.

[0075] At time T3, it is determined that there is no possibility that vehicle M will deviate from its lane due to steering operation by the driver, etc., so the departure warning is terminated. By making the termination conditions for the first departure warning and the second departure warning the same, it is possible to reduce misunderstanding by the driver and annoyance of notifications that may occur if one of the warnings remains in effect in a situation where the first and second departure warnings are output consecutively, as in the third scenario.

[0076] <Scene 4> 7 is a diagram for explaining a departure warning in a fourth scenario. In the fourth scenario, it is assumed that at time T1, the road condition determination unit 132 determines that the lane L1 on which the vehicle M is traveling is a curved road. In this case, the departure determination unit 134 determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the lane L1 (marking line LN2) based on the second condition. If it is determined at time T1 that there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the lane L1, the notification control unit 142 outputs a second departure warning.

[0077] Furthermore, at time T2, it is determined that there is no possibility that vehicle M will deviate from the lane due to the driver's steering control, etc., but immediately thereafter (within a predetermined time (fifth predetermined time) after the determination), it is determined that there is a possibility that vehicle M will deviate from lane L1 (marking line LN1) due to the first condition. In this case, the notification control unit 142 outputs the first departure warning (second stage) without lowering the warning level below that of the second departure warning (or maintains the warning level of the second departure warning). Furthermore, at time T3, at least a portion of vehicle M has deviated from lane L1, so the first departure warning (second stage) is maintained. In this way, in the fourth scenario, by controlling the warning level not to be lowered when switching from the second departure warning to the first departure warning within a predetermined time, it is possible to reduce the driver's misunderstanding of the notification and the annoyance caused by switching the notification.

[0078] [Processing flow] Next, an example of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100 in the embodiment will be described using a flowchart. In the following example, the deviation warning processing will be mainly described among the processing executed by the driving assistance device 100. The following processing is performed when the driver is manually driving and LKAS, ALC, etc., which are controlled by the system, are not performed. The following processing may be repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle or timing.

[0079] 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a deviation warning process according to an embodiment. In the example of FIG. 4, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M (step S100). Next, the driving state detection unit 120 detects the driving state of the vehicle M and the driver (step S110). Next, the road condition determination unit 132 determines the road conditions in the traveling direction of the vehicle M (step S120). In the processing of step S120, the road condition determination unit 132 may determine, for example, whether the road in the traveling direction of the vehicle M is a curved road (a straight road).

[0080] Next, it is determined whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the driving lane (step S130). If it is determined that there is a possibility that the vehicle M will deviate from the driving lane, the notification control unit 142 determines whether or not the lane in which the vehicle is traveling (the lane in the traveling direction) is a curved road based on the determination result by the road condition determination unit 132 (step S140). If it is determined that the lane is a curved road, the notification control unit 142 executes (outputs) a departure warning with fewer levels (for example, a one-level warning) than when the driving lane is not a curved road (step S150). The processing of step S150 corresponds to, for example, the second departure warning described above.

[0081] Furthermore, if it is determined in the process of step S140 that the lane on which the vehicle is traveling is not a curved road, the notification control unit 142 executes a departure warning with more levels than in the case of a curved road (for example, a two-level warning) (step S160). The process of step S160 corresponds to, for example, the first departure warning described above. This ends the process of this flowchart. Furthermore, if it is determined in the process of step S130 that there is no possibility of departure from the traveling lane, the process of this flowchart ends.

[0082] As described above, the vehicle control device of the embodiment includes a recognition unit 110 that recognizes the surrounding conditions of vehicle M, a determination unit 130 that determines whether vehicle M is likely to deviate from its driving lane based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110, and a control unit 140 that outputs a departure warning to the driver of vehicle M when the determination unit 130 determines that vehicle M is likely to deviate from its driving lane. The departure warning includes a first departure warning when vehicle M is traveling on a non-curved road and a second departure warning when vehicle M is traveling on a curved road. The first departure warning and the second departure warning are issued in at least one or more warning modes with different warning levels. The control unit 140 issues the second departure warning in fewer levels than the first departure warning, thereby enabling more appropriate warning control according to road conditions. This can contribute to the development of sustainable transportation systems.

[0083] For example, in an embodiment, the first departure warning is issued in multiple stages, and the second departure warning is issued in one stage. Also, in an embodiment, the second departure warning is issued at a higher (stronger) warning level than the lowest (weaker) warning level of the first departure warning in multiple stages. This makes it possible to efficiently and reliably convey to the driver the degree of urgency of departure from a curved road.

[0084] In addition, in the embodiment, if the warning level (intensity) decreases when switching from the second departure warning to the first departure warning, the warning level of the second departure warning is maintained. Furthermore, in the embodiment, the strongest warning level of the first departure warning and the warning level of the second departure warning are set to be the same. This prevents the warning level from being switched to a lower level even when continuous warnings are activated, thereby preventing the driver from misunderstanding the notification content and further reducing the annoyance of the notification and the driver's inability to concentrate on driving. For example, if the first departure warning with the highest (strongest) warning level is a warning when vehicle M deviates from its lane, adjusting the warning level of the second departure warning makes it possible to notify the driver at a high warning level on a curved road before vehicle M deviates from its lane. Therefore, the driver can be notified early in situations where there is a high urgency to avoid departure.

[0085] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, by setting the same termination conditions for both the first and second departure warnings, it is possible to prevent the driver from misunderstanding the notification content due to one of the warnings remaining, and to reduce the annoyance of the notification. Therefore, according to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to more appropriately link the first and second departure warnings, and to perform more appropriate warning control according to road conditions.

[0086] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions; a processor connected to the storage medium; The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: Recognizes the vehicle's surroundings, determining whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle will deviate from its lane based on the recognized surrounding conditions; outputting a departure warning to a driver of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle may deviate from the driving lane; The departure warning includes a first departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a lane other than a curved road, and a second departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on the curved road, The first deviation warning and the second deviation warning are issued in at least one level of warning mode with different warning levels, The second deviation warning is issued at fewer levels than the first deviation warning. Vehicle control device.

[0087] The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 10...camera, 12...radar device, 14...LIDAR, 16...object recognition device, 20...communication device, 30...HMI, 32...display unit, 34...speaker, 36...vibration unit, 40...vehicle sensor, 50...navigation device, 70...driver monitor camera, 80...driving operator, 82...steering wheel, 84...accelerator pedal, 86...brake pedal, 100...driving assistance device, 110...recognition unit, 120...driving state detection unit, 130...determination unit, 132...road condition determination unit, 134...deviation determination unit, 140...control unit, 142...notification control unit, 150...memory unit, 200...driving force output device, 210...brake device, 220...steering device, M...vehicle

Claims

1. a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle; a determination unit that determines whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle will deviate from its lane based on the recognition result by the recognition unit; a control unit that outputs a departure warning to a driver of the vehicle when the determination unit determines that there is a possibility that the vehicle will deviate from the driving lane, The departure warning includes a first departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a lane other than a curved road, and a second departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on the curved road, The first deviation warning and the second deviation warning each issue a warning in at least one level of warning mode, and when the warning mode is in two levels or more, the warning levels are different, The control unit issues a warning with fewer levels in the second deviation warning than in the first deviation warning. Vehicle control device.

2. The second deviation warning is a warning of a level higher than the lowest level of warning severity among a plurality of different warning levels of the first deviation warning. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

3. the control unit maintains the warning level of the second departure warning when the warning level becomes lower when switching from the second departure warning to the first departure warning based on the surrounding situation. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

4. When the warning mode of the first deviation warning is two or more levels and the warning mode of the second deviation warning is one level, the warning level of the second deviation warning is the same as the highest warning level of the first deviation warning. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

5. The control unit sets the same termination condition for the first deviation warning and the second deviation warning. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

6. The computer Recognizes the vehicle's surroundings, determining whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle will deviate from its lane based on the recognized surrounding conditions; outputting a departure warning to a driver of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle may deviate from the driving lane; The departure warning includes a first departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a lane other than a curved road, and a second departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on the curved road, The first deviation warning and the second deviation warning each issue a warning in at least one level of warning mode, and when the warning mode is in two levels or more, the warning levels are different, The second deviation warning is issued using fewer levels than the first deviation warning. A control method for a vehicle.

7. On the computer, Recognize the vehicle's surroundings, determining whether or not there is a possibility that the vehicle will deviate from its driving lane based on the recognized surrounding conditions; outputting a departure warning to a driver of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle may deviate from the driving lane; The departure warning includes a first departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on a lane other than a curved road, and a second departure warning when the vehicle is traveling on the curved road, The first deviation warning and the second deviation warning are each issued in at least one level of warning mode, and when the warning mode is in two levels or more, the warning levels are different, The second deviation warning is issued with fewer levels of warning than the first deviation warning. program.

Images