Driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and program

Abstract

A driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding situation of a vehicle; a driving control unit that executes lane keep control for controlling at least steering of the vehicle such that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane, on the basis of the recognition results of the recognition unit; and a reception unit that receives a vehicle lane change intention through an operation by an occupant of the vehicle. The driving control unit stops the lane keep control when the reception unit receives the lane change intention during the execution of the lane keep control, and restarts the lane keep control at a timing earlier than completion of the lane change.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device, a driving assistance 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 become more active. To achieve this, efforts are being made to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of driving assistance technologies. In this regard, technologies related to vehicle lane keeping assistance systems (LKAS) and lane change assistance controls (LCA) have been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 5). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-168194 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-43379 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-43432 [Patent Document 4] International Publication No. 2017 / 047261 [Patent Document 5] Patent No. 6760204 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the driving assistance technology, when changing lanes involving manual driving, the currently implemented LKAS control (hereinafter referred to as LKAS control) is interrupted and LKAS control is executed again after the lane change is completed. Therefore, the driver needs to drive manually from the time the lane change is initiated until LKAS control is initiated, which has led to an issue that the driving load in that section cannot be reduced in some cases.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one of the objects of the present application is to provide a driving assistance device, a driving assistance method, and a program that can provide more appropriate driving assistance when changing lanes during manual driving, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable transportation systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A driving assistance device, a driving assistance method, and a program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A driving assistance device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of a vehicle, a driving control unit that executes lane keeping control that controls at least the steering of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane based on the recognition results of the recognition unit, and a reception unit that receives an intention to change lanes of the vehicle through an operation by an occupant of the vehicle, wherein the driving control unit stops the lane keeping control when the reception unit receives the intention to change lanes while the lane keeping control is being executed, and resumes the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed.

[0007] (2): In the above-mentioned aspect (1), the timing before the lane change is completed is the timing when the predetermined position of the vehicle crosses the dividing line separating the first lane in which the vehicle is traveling from the second lane adjacent to the first lane into which the vehicle will change lanes and enters the second lane.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (2), the predetermined position of the vehicle is the front wheel of the vehicle on the lane-changing side, the center of the vehicle, or the center of gravity of the vehicle.

[0009] (4): In the above aspect (2), when the predetermined position of the vehicle crosses the dividing line, the driving control unit controls the steering of the vehicle so that the center or center of gravity of the vehicle travels in the center of the second lane.

[0010] (5): In the above aspect (1), the vehicle is further provided with a judgment unit that judges whether or not there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle present in the vicinity of the vehicle, and when the judgment unit judges that there is a possibility of contact with the other vehicle during the lane change, the driving control unit executes steering control to return to the lane before the lane change without operation by the occupant, and resumes the lane keeping control at the timing when the steering control is completed.

[0011] (6): In the above aspect (1), the vehicle further includes a judgment unit that judges whether there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle present in the vicinity of the vehicle, and an output control unit that causes the output unit to output information to the occupant, and when the judgment unit judges that there is a possibility of contact with the other vehicle while the lane change is being performed, the output control unit outputs information to the output unit prompting the occupant to cancel the lane change, and resumes the lane keeping control at a timing before the occupant completes steering control to return to the lane before the lane change.

[0012] (7): In the above aspect (1), the vehicle further includes a judgment unit that judges whether there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle present in the vicinity of the vehicle, and when the judgment unit judges that there is a possibility of contact with the other vehicle while the lane change is being performed, the driving control unit differentiates the timing for resuming the lane keeping control between a first steering control that returns to the lane before the lane change without operation by the occupant and a second steering control that returns to the lane before the lane change with operation by the occupant.

[0013] (8) In the above aspect (7), the timing of resuming the lane keeping control with respect to the execution of the second steering control is set earlier than the timing with respect to the execution of the first steering control.

[0014] (9): In the above aspect (1), the driving control unit does not resume the lane keeping control for the lane to which the lane is to be changed if the recognition unit is unable to recognize one of the dividing lines of the lane to which the lane is to be changed.

[0015] (10): In the above aspect (9), when the recognition unit is unable to recognize one of the dividing lines of the lane to which the lane is to be changed, the driving control unit resumes the lane keeping control for the lane to which the lane is to be changed if the driving trajectory of the preceding vehicle or lane edge information other than the dividing lines is recognized.

[0016] (11): A driving assistance method according to another aspect of the present invention is a driving assistance method in which a computer recognizes a situation around a vehicle, and based on the result of the recognition, executes lane keeping control that controls at least the steering of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane, accepts an intention of the vehicle to change lanes through an operation by an occupant of the vehicle, and if the intention to change lanes is accepted while the lane keeping control is being executed, stops the lane keeping control and resumes the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed.

[0017] (12): A program according to another aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to recognize the situation around a vehicle, and based on the recognition results, executes lane keeping control that controls at least the steering of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane, and accepts an intention to change lanes of the vehicle through an operation by an occupant of the vehicle, and if the intention to change lanes is accepted while the lane keeping control is being executed, stops the lane keeping control, and resumes the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the above aspects (1) to (12), more appropriate driving assistance can be provided when changing lanes during manual driving. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 that uses a driving assistance device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 10 is a diagram for explaining the function of a lane keeping control unit 132. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the timing for restarting LKAS control. [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram for explaining the function of a lane return control unit 134. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the timing of restarting LKAS control when returning to the lane by the second steering control. [Figure 6] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a flow of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100 of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of a driving assistance device, a driving assistance method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] [Overall configuration] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 using a driving assistance device according to an embodiment. The vehicle (hereinafter, referred to as the host vehicle M) on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted 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 thereof. 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. In the following description, the host vehicle M is assumed to be a four-wheeled vehicle. In the following, as an example, the driving assistance device may be applied to an autonomous vehicle. Autonomous driving refers to, for example, automatically controlling one or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M to perform driving control. The driving control of the host vehicle M may include various driving assistance systems such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), LKAS, LCA, forward collision warning (FCW), and collision mitigation braking system (CMBS). The driving of an autonomous vehicle may be partially or entirely controlled by the manual driving of an occupant (driver).

[0022] The vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera (an example of an imaging unit) 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a navigation device 50, 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. A combination of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 is an example of an "external sensor ES." The external sensor ES may include the object recognition device 16 and may also include other detection units (e.g., sonar) that recognize the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M. Furthermore, the external sensor ES may have a simple configuration such as only the camera 10, or only the camera 10 and the radar device 12. The HMI 30 is an example of an "output unit."

[0023] 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 of the host vehicle M. For example, when capturing an image in front of the host vehicle M, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield or the back of the rearview mirror. When capturing an image behind the host vehicle M, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the rear windshield or the back door. When capturing an image of the sides and rear of the host vehicle M, the camera 10 is attached to a door mirror or the like. The camera 10 periodically and repeatedly captures images of the surroundings of the host vehicle M, for example. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0024] 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.

[0025] The LIDAR 14 irradiates the surroundings of the vehicle M with light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths similar to light) and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 is attached to any location on the vehicle M.

[0026] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the components included in the external sensor ES 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 of the external sensor ES directly to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

[0027] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle M, for example, using a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0028] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M under the control of the HMI control unit 140, and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display device, a speaker, a microphone, a buzzer, a touch panel, keys, etc. The HMI 30 also includes, for example, a turn signal switch (directional indicator) 32. The turn signal switch 32 is provided, for example, on the steering column or steering wheel. The HMI 30 may also include, for example, a switch that accepts whether or not to execute various driving assistance systems such as LKAS and ACC.

[0029] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around a vertical axis, and a direction sensor that detects the direction of the host vehicle M. The vehicle sensor 40 may also include a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of the host vehicle M (which may be the angle of the steering wheels or the operating angle of the steering wheel). The vehicle sensor 40 may also include a position sensor that acquires the position of the host vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. The position sensor may also be a sensor that acquires position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50. The turn signal switch 32 and the vehicle sensor 40 are examples of a "reception unit" that accepts, for example, an intention to change lanes of the host vehicle by an operation by an occupant of the host vehicle M.

[0030] 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 road curvature, POI (Point Of Interest) information, etc. The map information 54 may also include, for example, lane center information, lane boundary information (road dividing lines), lane width, etc., road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The map information 54 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices. The map information 54 may be stored in a storage unit of the driving assistance device 100, which will be described later.

[0031] 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.

[0032] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are equipped 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 is an example of an "operator that accepts steering operation by the driver." The operator does not necessarily have to be annular, and may be in the form of an irregular steering wheel, a joystick, a button, or the like. Furthermore, the driving operators 80 output to the driving assistance device 100 the steering angle and steering torque amount when the occupant (driver) of the vehicle M steers the steering wheel in a predetermined direction.

[0033] The driving assistance device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a determination unit 120, a driving control unit 130, an HMI control unit 140, and a storage unit 150. The recognition unit 110, the determination unit 120, the driving control unit 130, and the HMI control unit 140 are each realized by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as an HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) into a drive device. The HMI control unit 140 is an example of an "output control unit."

[0034] 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, for example, map information 54.

[0035] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M based on information input from the external sensors ES. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position, speed, acceleration, and other status of objects present within a predetermined distance from the vehicle M based on the information input from the external sensors ES. The objects include, for example, other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and other traffic participants. The position of an object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (such as 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. The "state" of an object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or its "behavior state" (for example, whether the object is changing lanes or about to change lanes). The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the type of object (such as another vehicle, bicycle, or pedestrian) based on characteristic information such as the size, shape, and color of the object.

[0036] Furthermore, the recognition unit 110 recognizes, for example, the lane in which the host vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes road dividing lines (hereinafter referred to as "dividing lines") on the left and right sides of the host vehicle M from a camera image captured by the camera 10, and recognizes the driving lane based on the positions of the recognized dividing lines. Note that the recognition unit 110 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing landmarks (road boundaries, road boundaries) that can identify the lane position, including not only dividing lines but also shoulders, curbs, medians, guardrails, fences, walls, etc. In this recognition, the position of the host vehicle M acquired from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by the INS may be taken into consideration.

[0037] The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the driving lane by referring to the map information 54 based on the position information of the vehicle M obtained from the vehicle sensor 40, or may recognize the driving lane by comparing the pattern of road dividing lines (e.g., an arrangement of solid and dashed lines) obtained from the map information 54 with the pattern of road dividing lines around the host vehicle M recognized from the image captured by the camera 10. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the road shape of the driving lane. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize adjacent lanes adjacent to the driving lane of the host vehicle M, stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena.

[0038] Furthermore, when recognizing the driving lane, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the deviation of the reference point (center or center of gravity) of the host vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle it forms with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the host vehicle M as the relative position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the reference point of the host vehicle M with respect to one of the side edges of the driving lane (a dividing line or road boundary) as the relative position of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane.

[0039] Furthermore, the recognition unit 110 may, for example, implement a function based on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and a function based on a pre-given model in parallel. For example, the function of "recognizing an intersection" may be implemented by executing in parallel recognition of an intersection based on deep learning or the like and recognition based on pre-given conditions (such as the presence of traffic lights and road signs that can be pattern-matched), and by scoring both and comprehensively evaluating them.

[0040] The determination unit 120 determines whether an occupant (driver) of the vehicle M intends to change lanes of the vehicle M. Instead of (or in addition to) the above determination, the determination unit 120 may determine whether the reception unit has received an intention to change lanes of the vehicle M by an operation of the vehicle occupant. For example, when the determination unit 120 receives an operation of the turn signal switch 32 by the occupant and an adjacent lane exists in the direction indicated by the turn signal switch 32, it determines that the occupant intends to change lanes of the vehicle M. Instead of (or in addition to) the operation of the turn signal switch 32, the determination unit 120 may determine that the occupant intends to change lanes of the vehicle M when a steering torque amount or a yaw rate obtained from the vehicle sensor 40 by the steering operation of the steering wheel by the occupant is equal to or greater than a threshold and an adjacent lane exists in the steering direction of the steering wheel.

[0041] Furthermore, the determination unit 120 may determine whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle when the recognition unit 110 recognizes another vehicle in the vicinity (within a predetermined distance) of the host vehicle M. For example, after determining that the occupant intends to change lanes of the host vehicle M, the determination unit 120 determines whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle traveling in the lane into which the host vehicle M will change lanes.

[0042] For example, the determination unit 120 derives a time to collision (TTC) using the relative position (relative distance) and relative speed between the vehicle M and another vehicle, and determines that there is a possibility of collision if the derived time to collision TTC is less than a threshold, and determines that there is no possibility of collision if it is equal to or greater than the threshold. The time to collision TTC is a value calculated, for example, by dividing the relative speed from the relative distance.

[0043] The driving control unit 130 performs driving control by automatically controlling one or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110. For example, the driving control unit 130 assists the occupant of the host vehicle M in driving the host vehicle M or the traveling of the host vehicle M through driving control. Furthermore, when an operation to perform at least one of the various driving assistances is accepted by the HMI 30, the driving control unit 130 performs driving control based on the accepted operation.

[0044] The driving control unit 130 includes, for example, a lane keeping control unit 132 and a lane return control unit 134. For example, when the HMI 30 accepts a switch operation to execute LKAS control, the lane keeping control unit 132 executes lane keeping control to control at least the steering of the host vehicle M so that the host vehicle M travels within a predetermined lane regardless of whether the driver operates the driving operator 80. When the determination unit 120 determines that there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle while the host vehicle M is changing lanes, the lane return control unit 134 controls at least the steering of the host vehicle M to return to the lane before the lane change. Details of the functions of the lane keeping control unit 132 and the lane return control unit 134 will be described later.

[0045] The driving control unit 130 may also execute controls such as ACC, LCA, FCW, and CMBS based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110. For example, when an operation to execute ACC control is received via the HMI 30, the driving control unit 130 executes driving control to make the host vehicle M follow a vehicle ahead. When an operation to execute LCA control is received via the HMI 30, the driving control unit 130 sets a target position in the center of the lane to which the host vehicle M is to change lanes, which is in the direction indicated by the turn signal switch 32, so that the host vehicle M will not come into contact with objects such as other vehicles, notifies the occupant of the set target position via the HMI 30, and causes the occupant to steer the host vehicle M so that the center (or center of gravity) of the host vehicle M is positioned, or executes steering control. When there is a possibility of contact with an object through FCW control, the driving control unit 130 warns the occupant through the HMI 30, or performs control to bring the host vehicle M to an emergency stop through CMBS control. Some functions of the FCW control may be included in the lane return control unit 134.

[0046] The HMI control unit 140 notifies the occupant of predetermined information via the HMI 30 and acquires the details of operations performed by the occupant 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, information such as the speed of the vehicle M, engine RPM, and shift position. The information related to driving control may also include, for example, information prompting the driver to stop changing lanes or information inquiring about whether or not to perform driving assistance. The predetermined information may also include information unrelated to driving control of the vehicle M, such as television programs, content (e.g., movies) stored on a storage medium such as a DVD, etc.

[0047] For example, the HMI control unit 140 may generate an image containing the above-mentioned specified information and display the generated image on the display device 32 of the HMI 30, or may generate audio indicating the specified information and output the generated audio from the speaker of the HMI 30.

[0048] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) for the vehicle to travel to the driving wheels. 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 according to information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0049] Brake 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 a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from driving assistance device 100 or information input from driving operator 80, so that brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. Brake device 210 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operation of a brake pedal included in driving operator 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that brake 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.

[0050] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies a force to, for example, 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. Furthermore, the steering device 220 may apply a torque reaction force under the control of the driving assistance device 100 so as to rotate the steering wheel in a predetermined direction (or not to rotate it in a predetermined direction) in response to the driving operation of the occupant.

[0051] [Lane Keeping Control] Next, the function of the lane keeping control unit 132 will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the function of the lane keeping control unit 132. In the example of FIG. 2, two lanes L1 and L2 that can be traveled in the same direction (X-axis direction in the figure) are shown. Lane L1 is demarcated by marking lines LL and CL, and lane L2 is demarcated by marking lines CL and RL. In the following description, the position and speed VM of the host vehicle M at time t* will be represented as M(t*) and VM(t*). Also, time t1 is assumed to be the earliest, followed by t2, t3, t4, t5, and t6 in that order. Also, the example of FIG. 2 simply shows the steering direction of the steering wheel ST near a predetermined time (point). The control content of the host vehicle M at each time will be described below.

[0052] 2, at time t1, LKAS control is being executed by the lane keeping control unit 132. In this case, the lane keeping control unit 132 controls at least the steering of the host vehicle M, including the steering and speed, based on the positions of the marking lines LL and CL that demarcate the lane L1 recognized by the recognition unit 110, so that the host vehicle M does not deviate from the lane L1 and, for example, so that the center (or the center of gravity) of the vehicle M travels in the center (center of the width) of the lane L1. Hereinafter, the steering control executed by the vehicle system 1 side without relying on the operation of the occupant (without manual operation) is referred to as "first steering control." Lines S1 and S2 in the figure exemplarily show the marking lines LL and CL recognized by the recognition unit 110.

[0053] Time t2 indicates the timing when the vehicle M reaches point P1 and the occupant operates the turn signal switch 32 to turn on the turn signal for the right direction of the vehicle M (hereinafter referred to as "turn signal operation"). Because an adjacent lane is recognized in the direction indicated by the turn signal operation, the determination unit 120 determines that the occupant intends to change lanes of the vehicle M from lane L1 to lane L2. In this case, the lane keeping control unit 132 temporarily stops the LKAS control that is being executed. Note that in this case, lane L1 is an example of a "first lane" and lane L2 is an example of a "second lane."

[0054] Between times t2 and t6, the occupant performs steering control to move the host vehicle M from lane L1 to lane L2, which is the target lane, by manually driving using the driving operator 80 (for example, by steering using the steering wheel). Hereinafter, steering control (due to manual driving) performed in conjunction with the driving operation of the occupant is referred to as "second steering control." Conventionally, the lane change is determined to be complete when the center of the host vehicle M is positioned in the center of lane L2 after the lane change (time t6 when the host vehicle M reaches point P5), and at this time, LKAS control is performed to travel within lane L2 based on the positions of the marking lines CL and RL that demarcate lane L2. However, in this case, the occupant is required to drive from time t2 (point P1) to time t6 (point P5) when the lane change is completed, which does not reduce the driving burden (in particular, it does not reduce the steering operation required for the occupant to align left and right after the lane change is completed). Therefore, in this embodiment, LKAS control (lane keeping control) is resumed (restored) at a timing before the lane change is completed (time t6, point P5) depending on the progress of the lane change.

[0055] Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining the timing of resuming LKAS control. Similar to Fig. 2, Fig. 3 illustrates a case where the host vehicle M changes lanes from lane L1 to lane L2. For example, the lane keeping control unit 132 resumes LKAS control, which performs at least steering control so that the host vehicle M travels within lane L2, based on the position of the host vehicle M, steering information (steering torque amount / yaw rate), and the recognition results (lines S3, S4) of the lane markings CL and RL of the lane L2 to which the host vehicle M is to change lanes, recognized by the recognition unit 110, at a timing before the lane change from lane L1 to lane L2 is completed due to a steering operation by the occupant as shown in Fig. 3 (in other words, while steering control is being executed to position the center of the host vehicle M at the center of lane L2).

[0056] The timing before the lane change is completed is, for example, the timing when the predetermined position of the host vehicle M crosses the dividing line CL that divides the lanes L1 and L2 on which the host vehicle M is traveling and enters the lane L2. The predetermined position may be, for example, one of the front wheels of the host vehicle M on the lane change side (on the lane L2 side), the center of the host vehicle M, or the center of gravity of the host vehicle M. The predetermined position may be changed depending on the shape of the host vehicle M, the vehicle type, the road shape, the width of the lane, etc. For example, if the host vehicle M is a large vehicle such as a bus or truck, if the road shape is a curved road (with a curvature equal to or greater than a threshold), or if the road is narrow (if the width is equal to or less than a predetermined width), the front wheel of the host vehicle M on the lane change side may cross the dividing line CL and enter the lane L2 unintentionally by the occupant. In this case, by setting the predetermined position to the center of the host vehicle M, it is possible to more appropriately determine whether to resume LKAS control.

[0057] When the predetermined position of the host vehicle M enters the lane L2, the lane keeping control unit 132 executes steering control (first steering control) so that the center of the host vehicle M travels in the center of the lane L2 based on the recognition result of the lane markings of the lane L2 (lines S3, S4) by the recognition unit 110. In this way, since the LKAS control is resumed at the timing when the predetermined position of the host vehicle M crosses the marking line CL and enters the lane L2, the LKAS control consequently takes over part of the lane change of the host vehicle M, and the steering adjustment in the vehicle width direction is performed by the LKAS control. Therefore, the driving section by the occupant is shortened (times t2 to t4 (points P1 to P3) shown in FIG. 2). In other words, the driver's steering operation for aligning the left and right positions after completing the lane change can be reduced, thereby reducing the driving burden on the occupant.

[0058] [Lane Return Control] Next, a detailed description will be given of the function of the lane return control unit 134. When the recognition unit 110 recognizes another vehicle approaching the host vehicle M in the lane L2, the lane to which the host vehicle M is to be changed, and the determination unit 120 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle, the lane return control unit 134 performs steering control (lane return control) to return the host vehicle M from the lane L2 to the original lane (lane L1) before the lane change.

[0059] Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the function of the lane return control unit 134. The example of Fig. 4 shows a scene in which the host vehicle M changes lanes from lane L1 to lane L2, similar to Fig. 2. In Fig. 4, another vehicle m1 is assumed to be traveling in lane L2 at a speed Vm1.

[0060] In the example of Fig. 4, at time t2 (point P1), the determination unit 120 determines that the driver intends to change lanes. The lane keeping control unit 132 temporarily stops the LKAS control. Then, the occupant manually changes lanes.

[0061] Next, at time t4 (point P3), if the determination unit 120 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1, the lane return control unit 134 executes lane return control to return to the lane L1 before the lane change. Furthermore, the lane return control unit 134 may notify the occupant by causing the HMI control unit 140 to output from the HMI 30 information indicating that there is another vehicle that may contact the host vehicle M and that a first operation control will be executed to return to the lane L1.

[0062] After time t4, the lane return control unit 134 performs at least steering control (first steering control) of the host vehicle M so that the center of the host vehicle M is positioned in the center of the lane L1, based on the position of the host vehicle M, steering information (steering torque amount / yaw rate), and the recognition result of the marking lines LL and CL of the lane L1 before the lane change recognized by the recognition unit 110. Then, the lane return control unit 134 completes the lane return control when the center of the host vehicle M is positioned in the center of the lane L1 (when the host vehicle M reaches time t6 (point P5) in FIG. 4). After time t6 when the lane return control is completed, the lane keeping control unit 132 resumes LKAS control based on the recognition result of the marking lines LL and CL (the positions of lines S1 and S2).

[0063] Furthermore, instead of executing the lane return control by the first steering control, the lane return control unit 134 may notify the occupant of information urging the occupant to cancel the lane change and cause the occupant to execute the second steering control. In this case, the lane keeping control unit 132 may differentiate the timing at which the host vehicle M resumes the LKAS control for the first steering control from the timing at which the host vehicle M resumes the LKAS control for the second steering control.

[0064] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the timing of resuming LKAS control when returning to a lane by the second steering control. In the example of FIG. 5, the processing after time t4 is different from the example of FIG. 4. Therefore, the following mainly describes the processing after time t4. If the determination unit 120 determines at time t4 (point P3) that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1, the lane return control unit 134 causes the HMI control unit 140 to output information, such as information urging the occupant to cancel the lane change, from the HMI 30, thereby causing the occupant to execute the second steering control. Note that in addition to (or instead of) the information urging the occupant to cancel the lane change, the lane return control unit 134 may notify the occupant of information urging the occupant to perform a steering operation to return the host vehicle M to the lane L1 before the lane change, or information indicating that the host vehicle M may contact another vehicle.

[0065] After time t4, the lane keeping control unit 132 resumes LKAS control at a timing (for example, the timing at which the vehicle reaches time t4 (or point P4) shown in FIG. 5) before the timing at which the center of the vehicle M is positioned in the center of the lane L1 by the second steering control due to the steering operation of the occupant (the timing at which the lane return control is completed). In other words, the lane keeping control unit 132 resumes LKAS control earlier for the execution of the second steering control than for the execution of the first steering control.

[0066] The timing for resuming LKAS control in the second steering control may be, for example, the timing when, based on steering information, a steering torque amount (yaw rate) greater than a threshold value is generated in the direction opposite to the lane change side, or the timing when a predetermined position of the host vehicle M crosses the dividing line CL that separates lanes L1 and L2.

[0067] This makes it possible to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1. Also, when returning to the original lane by lane return control, in the case of the second steering control, the LKAS control is resumed at an earlier timing than in the case of the first steering control, so that part of the steering operation to return the host vehicle M to the lane L1 can be performed by the LKAS control, thereby reducing the operational burden on the occupant.

[0068] <Modification> The lane keeping control unit 132 may suppress the resumption of LKAS control when it can recognize only one of the lane markings of the lane to which the lane is to be changed. For example, if the recognition unit 110 recognizes one of the markings CL and RL of the lane L2 to which the lane is to be changed (for example, marking CL) but cannot recognize the other marking (for example, marking RL), the lane keeping control unit 132 suppresses the early resumption of LKAS control (does not execute LKAS control) in this embodiment.

[0069] Even if the lane-keeping control unit 132 is unable to recognize one of the lane markings of the lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes as described above, the lane-keeping control unit 132 may resume LKAS control if it recognizes the travel path of the vehicle ahead or lane edge information other than the lane markings. Lane edge information includes, for example, information about walls, road shoulders, etc.

[0070] Furthermore, even if one of the lane markings of the lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes cannot be recognized as described above, the lane keeping control unit 132 may execute LKAS control so that the center (or center of gravity) of the vehicle M travels along a position where the distance from the lane marking CL to the lane marking CL is half the width of the lane L1 before the lane change or the width information of a standard lane defined in advance by regulations, etc. The width of the lane L1 may be obtained, for example, based on the detection results of the external sensor ES, or may be obtained from the map information 54 by referring to the map information 54 based on the current position of the vehicle M. This allows LKAS control to be resumed even if one of the lane markings of the lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes cannot be recognized.

[0071] [Processing flow] Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100 of the embodiment. Note that, in the processing of Fig. 6, among various processing executed by the driving assistance device 100, the lane keeping control processing will be mainly described. Furthermore, the processing of Fig. 6 may be repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle or at a predetermined timing. Furthermore, it is assumed that, at the start of the processing of Fig. 6, an instruction to execute LKAS control on the host vehicle M is received from the occupant via the HMI 30.

[0072] In the example of FIG. 6, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M (step S100). The processing of step S100 includes, for example, recognition processing of lane markings and recognition processing of other vehicles. Next, the lane keeping control unit 132 executes LKAS control based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110 (step S102). Next, the determination unit 120 determines whether the occupant intends to change lanes of the host vehicle M (step S104). If it is determined that the occupant intends to change lanes, the lane keeping control unit 132 stops the LKAS control that is currently being executed (step S106). This allows the occupant to change lanes manually.

[0073] Next, the lane keeping control unit 132 determines whether there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle in the lane to which the lane is to be changed (step S108). If it is determined that there is no possibility of contact, the determination unit 120 determines, for example, whether a predetermined position of the host vehicle M (for example, the front wheel on the lane-changing side) has crossed a lane dividing line that separates the driving lane from the adjacent lane (step S110). If it is determined that the predetermined position has crossed a lane dividing line, the lane keeping control unit 132 resumes LKAS control for the lane to which the lane is to be changed (step S112).

[0074] Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S108 that there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle in the lane to which the lane is to be changed, the lane keeping control unit 132 executes LKAS control at a timing based on control for returning to the lane before the lane change and the control content (first steering control or second steering control) (step S114). This ends the processing of this flowchart. Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S104 that the occupant does not intend to change lanes of the host vehicle M, the currently executed LKAS control is continued.

[0075] 6, the process is in a standby state until the predetermined position of the vehicle M crosses the dividing line, but if it is not determined that the predetermined position of the vehicle M has crossed the dividing line even after a predetermined time has elapsed since it was determined that the occupant of the vehicle M intends to change lanes, the lane keeping control unit 132 may resume LKAS control for the current driving lane. The predetermined time may be, for example, a fixed time, or may be a time based on the travel distance or vehicle speed of the vehicle M since it was determined that the occupant intends to change lanes.

[0076] According to the embodiment described above, the driving assistance device 100 includes the recognition unit 110 that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M, the driving control unit 130 that performs lane keeping control that controls at least the steering of the vehicle M so that the vehicle M travels within a predetermined lane based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110, and the reception unit (the turn signal switch 32, the vehicle sensor 40) that receives an intention to change lanes of the vehicle M by an operation of an occupant of the vehicle M. The driving control unit 130 stops the lane keeping control when the reception unit receives an intention to change lanes while the lane keeping control is being performed, and resumes the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed, thereby enabling more appropriate driving assistance to be provided when a lane change is being performed manually. This can ultimately contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0077] Specifically, according to the embodiment, when changing lanes by manual driving, if the predetermined position of the vehicle M crosses the dividing line that separates the driving lane from the target lane, LKAS control is resumed, thereby maximizing the effect of reducing the burden on the occupants. Furthermore, according to the embodiment, when changing lanes by manual driving, the time until LKAS control is automatically resumed can be shortened, thereby reducing the inconvenience to the occupants (drivers) when changing lanes.

[0078] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the start timing of LKAS control can be made earlier even when lane return control is performed to avoid contact with another vehicle. In this way, this embodiment provides multiple types of start timing for LKAS control, and by switching the start timing depending on conditions such as the progress of the lane change, it is possible to achieve LKAS control at appropriate timing.

[0079] 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, Based on the result of the recognition, a lane keeping control is executed to control at least the steering of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane; receiving an intention of a lane change of the vehicle by an operation of an occupant of the vehicle; When an intention to change lanes is received during execution of the lane keeping control, the lane keeping control is stopped; The lane keeping control is resumed at a timing before the lane change is completed. Driving assistance device.

[0080] 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]

[0081] 10 Camera 12 Radar equipment 14 LIDAR 16 Object recognition device 80 Driving controls 100 Driving assistance device 110 Recognition part 120 Judgment section 130 Operation control unit 132 Lane keeping control unit 134 Lane return control unit 140 HMI control unit 150 Storage section 200 Driving force output device 210 Brake equipment 220 Steering device

Claims

1. a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle; a driving control unit that executes lane keeping control to control at least steering of the vehicle based on the recognition result by the recognition unit so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane; a reception unit that receives an intention of a lane change of the vehicle by an operation of an occupant of the vehicle, the driving control unit stops the lane keeping control when the acceptance unit accepts the intention to change lanes while the lane keeping control is being performed, and resumes the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed; a determination unit that determines whether there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle present in the vicinity of the vehicle; an output control unit that outputs information to the occupant to an output unit, When the determination unit determines that there is a possibility of contact with the other vehicle during the execution of the lane change, the output control unit outputs information to the output unit prompting the driver to cancel the lane change, and resumes the lane keeping control at a timing before the steering control to return to the lane before the lane change is completed by the operation of the occupant. Driving assistance device.

2. a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle; a driving control unit that executes lane keeping control to control at least steering of the vehicle based on the recognition result by the recognition unit so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane; a reception unit that receives an intention of a lane change of the vehicle by an operation of an occupant of the vehicle, the driving control unit stops the lane keeping control when the acceptance unit accepts the intention to change lanes while the lane keeping control is being performed, and resumes the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed; a determination unit that determines whether there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle present in the vicinity of the vehicle; When the determination unit determines that there is a possibility of contact with the other vehicle during the execution of the lane change, the driving control unit performs a first steering control to return to the lane before the lane change without an operation by the occupant, and a second steering control to return to the lane before the lane change with an operation by the occupant, and the timing of resuming the lane keeping control is made different. Driving assistance device.

3. The timing before the lane change is completed is the timing when the predetermined position of the vehicle crosses a dividing line that divides a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling from a second lane adjacent to the first lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes and enters the second lane. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The predetermined position of the vehicle is a front wheel on the lane-changing side of the vehicle, a center of the vehicle, or a center of gravity of the vehicle. The driving assistance device according to claim 3 .

5. When the predetermined position of the vehicle crosses the dividing line, the driving control unit controls the steering of the vehicle so that the center or center of gravity of the vehicle travels in the center of the second lane. The driving assistance device according to claim 3 .

6. The timing of resuming the lane keeping control when the second steering control is executed is earlier than when the first steering control is executed. The driving assistance device according to claim 2 .

7. the driving control unit does not resume the lane keeping control for the lane to which the lane is to be changed when the recognition unit is unable to recognize one of the dividing lines of the lane to which the lane is to be changed. The driving assistance device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. When the recognition unit is unable to recognize one of the dividing lines of the lane to which the lane is to be changed, and when the driving control unit recognizes a travel path of a preceding vehicle or lane edge information other than a dividing line, the driving control unit resumes the lane keeping control for the lane to which the lane is to be changed. The driving assistance device according to claim 7.

9. The computer Recognizes the vehicle's surroundings, Based on the result of the recognition, a lane keeping control is executed to control at least the steering of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane; receiving an intention of a lane change of the vehicle by an operation of an occupant of the vehicle; When an intention to change lanes is received during execution of the lane keeping control, the lane keeping control is stopped; restarting the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed; determining whether there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle present in the vicinity of the vehicle; outputting information to the occupant to an output unit; When it is determined that there is a possibility of contact with the other vehicle during the lane change, the output unit outputs information prompting the driver to cancel the lane change, and the lane keeping control is resumed at a timing before the steering control for returning the vehicle to the lane before the lane change is completed by the driver's operation. Driving assistance methods.

10. The computer Recognizes the vehicle's surroundings, Based on the result of the recognition, a lane keeping control is executed to control at least the steering of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane; receiving an intention of a lane change of the vehicle by an operation of an occupant of the vehicle; When an intention to change lanes is received during execution of the lane keeping control, the lane keeping control is stopped; restarting the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed; determining whether there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle present in the vicinity of the vehicle; When it is determined that there is a possibility of contact with the other vehicle during the lane change, the timing of resuming the lane keeping control is made different between a first steering control for returning to the lane before the lane change without an operation by the occupant and a second steering control for returning to the lane before the lane change with an operation by the occupant. Driving assistance methods.

11. On the computer, Recognize the vehicle's surroundings, Executing lane keeping control that controls at least steering of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane based on the recognition result; Accepting an intention of the vehicle to change lanes by an operation of an occupant of the vehicle; When an intention to change lanes is received during execution of the lane keeping control, the lane keeping control is stopped; restarting the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed; determining whether there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle present in the vicinity of the vehicle; outputting information to the occupant to an output unit; When it is determined that there is a possibility of contact with the other vehicle during the execution of the lane change, the output unit outputs information prompting the driver to cancel the lane change, and the lane keeping control is resumed at a timing before the steering control for returning the vehicle to the lane before the lane change is completed by the driver's operation. program.

12. On the computer, Recognize the vehicle's surroundings, Executing lane keeping control that controls at least steering of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels within a predetermined lane based on the recognition result; Accepting an intention of the vehicle to change lanes by an operation of an occupant of the vehicle; When an intention to change lanes is received during execution of the lane keeping control, the lane keeping control is stopped; restarting the lane keeping control at a timing before the lane change is completed; determining whether there is a possibility of contact with another vehicle present in the vicinity of the vehicle; When it is determined that there is a possibility of contact with the other vehicle during the lane change, the timing of resuming the lane keeping control is made different between a first steering control for returning to the lane before the lane change without an operation by the occupant and a second steering control for returning to the lane before the lane change with an operation by the occupant. program.

Images