Mobile body control device, control method, and control program

Abstract

To provide a mobile object control device, a control method, and a control program capable of moving a mobile object according to movement of a peripheral mobile object even when a user does not set an appropriate target speed when a preceding mobile object is no longer detected while follow-up movement control is in execution.SOLUTION: A control device 20 can execute follow-up travel control to control a moving speed of an own vehicle M1 so as to follow a preceding vehicle M2 moving in front of the own vehicle M1 and constant-speed travel control to keep the moving speed of the own vehicle M1 at a predetermined target speed. The control device 20 executes the follow-up travel control when the preceding vehicle M2 is detected, and executes the constant-speed travel control to control a moving speed of the own vehicle M1 so that the moving speed of the own vehicle M1 becomes a second target speed based on a moving speed of a peripheral vehicle M3 when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected while the follow-up travel control is in execution.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, a control method, and a control program for a moving body that can execute follow-up movement control and constant-speed movement control for the moving body. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transport systems that take into consideration vulnerable transport participants have been gaining momentum. To achieve this, we are focusing on research and development into driver assistance and autonomous driving technologies to further improve road safety and convenience.

[0003] As an example of driving assistance technology, ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) is disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3. Generally, in ACC, when a preceding vehicle moving ahead of the host vehicle is detected, follow-up cruise control is executed to adjust the traveling speed of the host vehicle to match the traveling speed of the preceding vehicle, and when the preceding vehicle is no longer detected, constant-speed cruise control is executed to travel at a target speed preset by a user (for example, a driver). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-18727 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-263099 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-25868 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, with conventional technology, if a leading vehicle is no longer detected while adaptive cruise control is being performed, the user must perform additional operations such as canceling ACC, operating the accelerator / brake, or resetting a pre-set target speed in order to move the vehicle in line with surrounding vehicles.

[0006] The present invention provides a control device, a control method, and a control program for a moving body that can move the moving body in accordance with a surrounding moving body without the user having to perform any additional operations when a leading moving body is no longer detected during execution of follow-up movement control. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides A control device for a moving body capable of executing a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so that the moving body follows a preceding moving body moving in front of the moving body, and a constant speed movement control for controlling the movement speed of the moving body so that the movement speed becomes a predetermined target speed, the target speed is selectively set from a first target speed preset by a user of the moving body and a second target speed based on the moving speed of a surrounding moving body moving around the moving body, The control device When the preceding moving object is detected, the following movement control is executed; notifying the user via a notification unit of information for the user to select the target speed from the first target speed and the second target speed; When the user selects the first target speed as the target speed, if the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control, the constant speed movement control is executed to control the movement speed of the moving body so as to become the first target speed; When the user selects the second target speed as the target speed, When the preceding moving object is no longer detected during the execution of the following movement control, The second target speed The constant speed movement control is executed to control the movement speed of the moving body so that

[0008] The present invention provides A control device for a moving body capable of executing a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so that the moving body follows a preceding moving body moving in front of the moving body, and a constant speed movement control for controlling the movement speed of the moving body to a predetermined speed, The control device a first constant speed movement control as the constant speed movement control for controlling acceleration of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes a speed based on the movement speed of a surrounding moving body moving around the moving body, and a second constant speed movement control for controlling acceleration of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes a target speed preset by a user, When the preceding moving object is detected, the following movement control is executed; notifying the user via a notification unit of information for selecting whether to execute the first constant speed movement control or the second constant speed movement control; When the preceding moving object is no longer detected during the execution of the following movement control, Executes the first constant speed movement control or the second constant speed movement control, whichever is selected by the user. .

[0009] The present invention provides A method for controlling a moving object, comprising: the moving body is capable of executing a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so as to follow a preceding moving body moving in front, and a constant speed movement control for controlling the movement speed of the moving body so as to become a predetermined target speed, before Address When a moving object is detected, the moving speed of the moving object is controlled so as to follow the preceding moving object. The aforementioned Following movement control; a process of notifying the user of the moving body via a notification unit of information for allowing the user to select the target speed from a first target speed preset by the user and a second target speed based on the moving speeds of surrounding moving bodies moving around the moving body; the constant speed movement control, in which, when the user selects the first target speed as the target speed, if the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control, the movement speed or acceleration of the moving body is controlled so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes the first target speed; When the user selects the second target speed as the target speed, When the preceding moving body is no longer detected during the execution of the following movement control, the movement speed of the moving body The second goal The moving speed or acceleration of the moving body is controlled so that the moving speed is equal to the moving speed. The aforementioned The computer executes the constant speed movement control.

[0010] The present invention provides A control program for a moving object, the moving body is capable of executing a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so as to follow a preceding moving body moving in front, and a constant speed movement control for controlling the movement speed of the moving body so as to become a predetermined target speed, before Address When a moving object is detected, the moving speed of the moving object is controlled so as to follow the preceding moving object. The aforementioned Following movement control; a process of notifying the user of the moving body via a notification unit of information for allowing the user to select the target speed from a first target speed preset by the user and a second target speed based on the moving speeds of surrounding moving bodies moving around the moving body; the constant speed movement control, in which, when the user selects the first target speed as the target speed, if the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control, the movement speed or acceleration of the moving body is controlled so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes the first target speed; When the user selects the second target speed as the target speed, When the preceding moving body is no longer detected during the execution of the following movement control, the movement speed of the moving body The second goal The moving speed or acceleration of the moving body is controlled so that the moving speed is equal to the moving speed. The aforementioned and constant speed movement control. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, when a leading moving body is no longer detected during execution of follow-up movement control, the moving body can be moved in accordance with the surrounding moving bodies without the user having to perform any additional operations. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle 10 equipped with a control device 20. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which a host vehicle M1 is performing follow-up cruise control to follow a preceding vehicle M2. [Figure 3] 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which a host vehicle M1 is performing constant speed cruise control when a preceding vehicle M2 is not detected. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a diagram showing how the host vehicle M1 is accelerated from a target following speed to a second target speed when transitioning from following cruise control to constant speed cruise control. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a diagram showing how the host vehicle M1 is decelerated from a target following speed to a second target speed when transitioning from following cruise control to constant speed cruise control. FIG. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control device 20 during execution of follow-up cruise control. FIG. [Figure 7] 10 is a graph showing an example of a change over time in the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 when the difference between the target following speed (or second target speed) and the first target speed is different. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of setting a second target speed for each driving lane. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] First Embodiment A first embodiment of a control device, a control method, and a control program according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are to be viewed in accordance with the directions indicated by the reference numerals. For simplicity and clarity, the present specification and other documents refer to the front, rear, left, and right directions as viewed from the perspective of a user (e.g., a driver) of a moving object.

[0014] [vehicle] A vehicle 10 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of a moving body according to the present invention, and is an automobile having a drive unit 11 as a drive source and wheels (not shown) including drive wheels driven by the power of the drive unit 11 and steerable wheels. In this embodiment, the vehicle 10 is a four-wheel automobile having a pair of left and right front wheels and rear wheels. The drive unit 11 may drive a pair of left and right front wheels, a pair of left and right rear wheels, or all four wheels including a pair of left and right front wheels and rear wheels. Either one of the front wheels or the rear wheels may be steerable wheels, or both may be steerable wheels.

[0015] The drive device 11 includes, for example, an electric motor and an electric motor ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls the electric motor. The electric motor ECU controls the electric motor based on the detection results of an accelerator position sensor (hereinafter also referred to as AP sensor) 142 of the vehicle 10 and control information from a control device 20, which will be described later. Furthermore, the drive device 11 may include an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine and a transmission instead of or in addition to the electric motor. When the drive device 11 includes an internal combustion engine or a transmission, the drive device 11 further includes an ECU that controls these.

[0016] The vehicle 10 further includes, for example, a brake device 12, an operation unit 13, a vehicle sensor 14, an external environment recognition unit 15, a notification unit 16, and a control device 20. The components of the vehicle 10 are connected to each other via a wired or wireless communication network so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0017] The braking device 12 decelerates the vehicle 10 by braking each wheel. The braking device 12 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 of the braking device 12 based on the detection results from a brake pedal sensor of the vehicle 10 and control information from the control device 20, so that a predetermined brake torque is output to each wheel.

[0018] The operation unit 13 accepts various operations from a user (for example, the driver of the vehicle 10; hereinafter, also simply referred to as "the driver"). The operation unit 13 is configured, for example, by physical operation buttons provided on a steering wheel (not shown) that output operation signals to the control device 20 in accordance with operations accepted from the user. As will be described in detail later, the driver can activate the traveling speed control or set a target speed for constant speed traveling control via the operation unit 13. Note that the configuration of the operation unit 13 is not limited to physical operation buttons, and may be configured by a touch panel or the like. Furthermore, the operation unit 13 does not have to be provided on a steering wheel. Furthermore, the operation unit 13 may be configured to recognize the user's voice, gestures, etc. and accept various operations from the user.

[0019] The vehicle sensor 14 acquires information relating to the moving state of the vehicle 10 and outputs the acquired information to the control device 20. For example, the vehicle sensor 14 includes a vehicle speed sensor 141 that acquires information indicating the traveling speed of the vehicle 10 (i.e., the moving speed; hereinafter also referred to as "vehicle speed"), and an AP sensor 142 that detects the accelerator position of the vehicle 10. The vehicle sensor 14 may also include other sensors such as a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of the vehicle 1.

[0020] The external environment recognition unit 15 includes, for example, a camera 151, a radar device 152, a LIDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) 153, and a processing unit 154. The camera 151 captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle 10, including the area ahead of the vehicle 10. The radar device 152 is capable of detecting the position of an object around the vehicle 10 and is, for example, a radar device using millimeter-wave radio waves. The LIDAR 153 measures the distance to an object (target) around the vehicle 10 using a predetermined laser beam. The processing unit 154 is configured by an ECU, processes information acquired by the camera 151, the radar device 152, and the LIDAR 153, recognizes information around the vehicle 10, and detects the presence, position, speed, etc. of vehicles traveling around the vehicle 10 (specifically, a leading vehicle M2 and a surrounding vehicle M3, which will be described later) from the information around the vehicle 10. The processing unit 154 then outputs the detection results to the control device 20.

[0021] Note that the external environment recognition unit 15 does not need to include the processing unit 154. In this case, the external environment recognition unit 15 outputs information obtained from the camera 151, the radar device 152, and the LIDAR 153 to the control device 20, and the control device 20 processes the information to detect the presence, position, speed, etc. of vehicles traveling around the vehicle 10. Furthermore, the external environment recognition unit 15 does not need to include all of the camera 151, the radar device 152, and the LIDAR 153, and may include at least one of them. Furthermore, the external environment recognition unit 15 may include other detection devices different from the camera 151, the radar device 152, and the LIDAR 153.

[0022] The notification unit 16 notifies the user of the vehicle 10 of predetermined matters. Specifically, the notification unit 16 includes a display unit 161 that notifies the user visually and a speaker 162 that notifies the user audibly. The display unit 161 is, for example, a meter panel provided in a position directly opposite the driver's seat of the vehicle 10, and displays the vehicle speed and the like of the vehicle 10. The display unit 161 can also display a first target speed and a second target speed, which will be described later. The speaker 162 outputs, for example, audio guidance and the like from a navigation device (not shown).

[0023] The control device 20 performs overall control of the vehicle 10. The control device 20 is realized by, for example, a computer (e.g., an ECU) including a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that performs various calculations, a storage device that stores various information, and an input / output device that controls input and output of data between the inside and outside of the control device 20. That is, the functions of the control device 20 can be realized, for example, by the CPU executing a predetermined control program pre-stored in the storage device. Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the control device 20 may be realized by hardware 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). Furthermore, some or all of the functions of the control device 20 may be realized by a combination of software and hardware.

[0024] [Travel speed control] Next, the traveling speed control for controlling the traveling speed of the vehicle 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 7. Hereinafter, the vehicle 10 whose traveling speed is controlled by the traveling speed control of this embodiment will also be referred to as the host vehicle M1.

[0025] The road RD shown in Figures 2 and 3 has driving lanes L1 to L3, with the direction of travel running from bottom to top in Figures 2 and 3. Driving lane L2 is adjacent to driving lane L1 on the left side of driving lane L1. Driving lane L3 is adjacent to driving lane L1 on the right side of driving lane L1.

[0026] In the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the host vehicle M1 is traveling in the driving lane L1 along the traveling direction of the driving lane L1. In the example shown in FIG. 2, there is another vehicle M2 traveling in the same driving lane L1 as the host vehicle M1 in front of the host vehicle M1 in the driving lane L1. Hereinafter, a vehicle traveling in front of the host vehicle M1 in the same driving lane as the host vehicle M1 will also be referred to as a preceding vehicle M2. As shown in FIG. 2, if such a preceding vehicle M2 exists, the preceding vehicle M2 is detected by the external environment recognition unit 15 of the host vehicle M1. On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 3, there is no vehicle in front of the host vehicle M1 in the driving lane L1, so the preceding vehicle M2 is not detected.

[0027] 2 and 3, the surrounding vehicles M3 refer to vehicles traveling near the host vehicle M1, specifically, the driving lane L1 in which the host vehicle M1 is traveling, and the driving lanes L2 and L3 adjacent to the driving lane L1 and traveling in the same direction as the driving lane L1. If such a surrounding vehicle M3 exists, the surrounding vehicle M3 is detected by the external environment recognition unit 15 of the host vehicle M1. The surrounding vehicles M3 include the preceding vehicle M2.

[0028] The traveling speed control of this embodiment includes following traveling control, which controls the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 so that the host vehicle M1 follows the preceding vehicle M2, and constant speed traveling control, which controls the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 to a predetermined target speed. When the user instructs the execution of traveling speed control via the operation unit 13, the control device 20 executes the traveling speed control. In the traveling speed control, the control device 20 controls the output of the drive device 11 and the brake torque of the brake device 12, thereby controlling the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1.

[0029] The following cruise control is a control for adjusting the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 so that the host vehicle M1 travels at a target following speed when a preceding vehicle M2 is detected in the traveling lane L1 of the host vehicle M1, as shown in FIG. 2. The target following speed is set based on the relative speed or relative position of the host vehicle M1 and the preceding vehicle M2, so that the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle M1 and the preceding vehicle M2 is kept constant. For example, in following cruise control, the control device 20 sets the target following speed to a speed at which the relative speed between the host vehicle M1 and the preceding vehicle M2 becomes 0 (zero), and performs following cruise control based on the target following speed. Such following cruise control can maintain a constant inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle M1 and the preceding vehicle M2, allowing the user to drive safely.

[0030] The constant speed cruise control is a control that adjusts the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 so that it is within a predetermined allowable range including a target speed when a preceding vehicle M2 is not detected, as shown in Fig. 3. In the constant speed cruise control, for example, feedback control is performed based on the difference between the current traveling speed and a predetermined target speed, thereby bringing the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 closer to the predetermined target speed. Here, the target speed of the constant speed cruise control includes a first target speed that is set in advance by the user.

[0031] The first target speed is also the upper limit of the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 in the follow-up traveling control, and the host vehicle M1 travels at or below the first target speed during the follow-up traveling control. A higher speed can be set as the first target speed so that the host vehicle M1 does not get left behind by the leading vehicle M2 during the follow-up traveling control.

[0032] This type of traveling speed control is generally referred to as ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control). When ACC is executed when the preceding vehicle M2 has not been detected, the host vehicle M1 first travels under constant speed traveling control based on a first target speed until the preceding vehicle M2 is detected. Specifically, at this time, the host vehicle M1 accelerates to the first target speed, and after reaching the first target speed, travels at a constant speed at the first target speed. Then, when the preceding vehicle M2 is detected while the constant speed traveling control is being executed, the host vehicle M1 travels under follow-up traveling control based on a target following speed. Specifically, at this time, the host vehicle M1 decelerates from the first target speed to the target following speed, and travels at the target following speed while following the preceding vehicle M2. Thereafter, when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected while the follow-up traveling control is being executed, the host vehicle M1 travels under constant speed traveling control again.

[0033] As described above, a relatively high speed may be set as the first target speed for the constant speed cruise control. Therefore, if the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected during the execution of the follow-up cruise control and the control shifts to the constant speed cruise control based on the first target speed, the host vehicle M1's traveling speed may become too high compared to the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3. In such a case, a user who wishes to synchronize the host vehicle M1 with the surrounding vehicle M3 needs to perform additional operations, such as canceling the ACC (travel speed control), operating the accelerator / brake, or resetting the first target speed, which can be cumbersome.

[0034] In order to prevent the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 from becoming too high when the control is shifted to constant speed traveling control, it is also possible to maintain the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected. However, in this case, if the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 is higher than the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected, there is a possibility that the host vehicle M1 will be left behind by the surrounding vehicle M3.

[0035] Therefore, in the traveling speed control of this embodiment, the target speed for the constant speed traveling control further includes a second target speed based on the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3, and is set selectively from the first target speed and the second target speed.

[0036] The traveling speed control of this embodiment will be described in detail below, taking as an example a case where the second target speed is lower than the first target speed.

[0037] When the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected during the execution of the follow-up cruise control, the control device 20 executes constant-speed cruise control, which controls the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 so that the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 becomes equal to a second target speed. For example, when the preceding vehicle M2 shown in FIG. 2 changes lanes from the traveling lane L1 to another traveling lane L2 or L3, the preceding vehicle M2 becomes undetectable, and the traveling speed control shifts from follow-up cruise control to constant-speed cruise control. At this time, the control device 20 adjusts the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 so that the traveling speed becomes equal to the second target speed. By the constant-speed cruise control based on the second target speed, the host vehicle M1 accelerates or decelerates from the target follow-up speed to the second target speed, and after reaching the second target speed, the host vehicle M1 travels at a constant speed at the second target speed.

[0038] 4 and 5, the second target speed is obtained by adding a predetermined calculation value α based on the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 to the target following speed. In this embodiment, the calculation value α is calculated based on the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 traveling in the traveling lanes L1 to L3 that can be detected by the external environment recognition unit 15. The target following speed used in the calculation is, for example, the average speed or maximum speed of the preceding vehicle M2 within a predetermined time, or the traveling speed of the preceding vehicle M2 immediately before the preceding vehicle M2 became undetectable. In addition, the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 is, for example, the average speed or maximum speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 within a predetermined time, or the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 immediately before the preceding vehicle M2 became undetectable.

[0039] The calculated value α is, for example, the relative speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 with respect to the host vehicle M1. FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the first target speed, the second target speed, and the target following speed when the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 is also higher than the target following speed. For example, when the target following speed of the host vehicle M1 is 100 km / h and the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 is 110 km / h, the control device 20 sets the calculated value α to +10 km / h based on the relative speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 with respect to the host vehicle M1, and obtains the second target speed of 110 km / h by adding the calculated value α = +10 km / h to the target following speed of 100 km / h. In other words, the host vehicle M1 accelerates from the target following speed to the second target speed.

[0040] 5 shows the relationship between the first target speed, the second target speed, and the target following speed when the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 is also small compared to the target following speed. For example, when the target following speed of the host vehicle M1 is 100 km / h and the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 is 90 km / h, the control device 20 sets the calculated value α to -10 km / h based on the relative speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 with respect to the host vehicle M1, and obtains the second target speed of 90 km / h by adding the calculated value α = -10 km / h to the target following speed of 100 km / h. In other words, the host vehicle M1 decelerates from the target following speed to the second target speed.

[0041] In the above example, the second target speed is equal to the traveling speed of the nearby vehicle M3, but it does not necessarily have to be equal to the traveling speed of the nearby vehicle M3, and may be calculated based on the traveling speed of the nearby vehicle M3. For example, the second target speed may be slightly higher or slightly lower than the traveling speed of the nearby vehicle M3.

[0042] Since the second target speed is a target speed based on the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3, when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected, the host vehicle M1 can travel in accordance with the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 without the user having to perform additional operations such as canceling the traveling speed control, operating the accelerator / brake, resetting the first target speed, etc. In other words, the host vehicle M1 can keep up with the flow of surrounding traffic without burdening the user.

[0043] In addition, the first target speed is usually higher than the target following speed. In the example of Fig. 4, when the control shifts from the following cruise control to the constant speed cruise control based on the first target speed, the vehicle accelerates in one go from the target following speed of 100 km / h to the first target speed of 120 km / h, which is a large increase in speed and may cause discomfort to the user.

[0044] When the second target speed is smaller than the first target speed, the speed increase range in the constant speed traveling control based on the second target speed in this embodiment is smaller than the speed increase range in the constant speed traveling control based on the first target speed, so that the discomfort caused to the user by acceleration can be reduced.

[0045] The second target speed may also be based on the acceleration of the nearby vehicle M3, i.e., the second target speed may be set based on the traveling speed and acceleration of the nearby vehicle M3. This allows the second target speed to be set higher when the nearby vehicle M3 is accelerating, and lower when the nearby vehicle M3 is decelerating, for example.

[0046] Next, an example of processing executed by the control device 20 while the traveling speed control is being executed will be described with reference to Fig. 6. For example, while the traveling speed control is being executed, the control device 20 repeatedly executes a series of processing shown in Fig. 6 at a predetermined cycle.

[0047] The control device 20 first determines whether or not follow-up cruise control is being executed (step S11). If the cruise speed control is being executed, the follow-up cruise control is basically continued to be executed while the preceding vehicle M2 is detected by the external environment recognition unit 15. If the control device 20 determines that follow-up cruise control is not being executed (step S11: NO), the control device 20 ends this process.

[0048] When the control device 20 determines that follow-up cruise control is being executed (step S11: YES), it notifies the user via the notification unit 16 of information that allows the user to select a target speed for constant-speed cruise control that will be executed after the follow-up cruise control from a first target speed and a second target speed (step S12). For example, the control device 20 causes the display unit 161 to display a message inquiring the user as to whether or not to select the second target speed, thereby enabling the user to select a target speed from the first target speed and the second target speed using the operation unit 13. The control device 20 may notify the user of the message inquiring the user as to whether or not to select the second target speed by voice via the speaker 162.

[0049] This configuration allows the target speed of the constant speed cruise control to be executed after the follow-up cruise control to be set based on the user's intention. Furthermore, since the user is prompted to select the target speed while the follow-up cruise control is being executed, the transition from the follow-up cruise control to the constant speed cruise control can be smoother than when the user is prompted to select the target speed after the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected.

[0050] Such notification may be made only once each time the traveling speed control is executed (that is, only the first time the following traveling control is executed), or may be made repeatedly each time the following traveling control is executed.

[0051] The control device 20 determines whether the user has selected the second target speed (step S13). If the user has selected the second target speed (step S13: YES), the control device 20 acquires the second target speed while the following cruise control is being performed, and sets the second target speed as the target speed for the constant speed cruise control (step S14). If the target speed is set to the second target speed, the upper limit of the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 during the following cruise control becomes the second target speed, and the host vehicle M1 follows the preceding vehicle M2 at a speed equal to or less than the second target speed.

[0052] By acquiring the second target speed during the execution of follow-up cruise control, it is possible to immediately transition to constant-speed cruise control based on the second target speed after the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected, allowing the host vehicle M1 to smoothly keep up with the surrounding traffic flow. Furthermore, even if the surrounding vehicle M3 is not detected when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected (in other words, the surrounding vehicle M3 does not exist), the host vehicle M1 can travel at the second target speed based on the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 acquired during the execution of follow-up cruise control, rather than the first target speed. Therefore, discomfort caused by an increase in speed can be reduced.

[0053] After acquiring and setting the second target speed, the control device 20 determines whether the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected (step S15). If the control device 20 determines that the preceding vehicle M2 is detected (step S15: NO), the control device 20 returns to step S14, updates the second target speed as appropriate, and repeatedly executes steps S14 and S15.

[0054] When the control device 20 determines that the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected (step S15: YES), it executes constant speed traveling control to control the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 so that it becomes the second target speed (step S16), and ends this processing.

[0055] On the other hand, if the user selects the first target speed in step S13 (step S13: NO), the control device 20 sets the first target speed as the target speed for constant speed cruise control (step S17).

[0056] After setting the first target speed as the target speed, the control device 20 determines whether the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected (step S18). If the control device 20 determines that the preceding vehicle M2 is detected (step S18: NO), the control device 20 continues monitoring until the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected.

[0057] When the control device 20 determines that the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected (step S18: YES), it executes constant speed traveling control to control the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 to the first target speed (step S19), and ends this processing.

[0058] When switching from follow-up cruise control to constant-speed cruise control based on the first target speed in step S19, the control device 20 preferably performs processing to lengthen the time it takes to reach the first target speed from the target follow-up speed when the difference between the target follow-up speed and the first target speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, compared to when the difference is less than the threshold value. Hereinafter, this processing is also referred to as acceleration time change processing.

[0059] 7 is a graph showing the change over time in the running speed of the host vehicle M1 when the difference between the target following speed and the first target speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (hereinafter also referred to as "when the speed difference is large"), and the change over time in the running speed of the host vehicle M1 when the difference between the target following speed and the first target speed is less than a predetermined threshold (hereinafter also referred to as "when the speed difference is small"). Note that the dashed-dotted line in the graph indicates the case when the speed difference is small, the solid line indicates the case when the speed difference is large and the acceleration time change process is performed, and the dashed line indicates the case when the speed difference is large and the acceleration time change process is not performed.

[0060] 7, when the speed difference is large, the host vehicle M1 accelerates from the target following speed V0 to a first target speed V_h, and when the speed difference is small, the host vehicle M1 accelerates from the target following speed V0 to a first target speed V_l that is smaller than V_h. Here, the difference between V_h and V0 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold ΔV_th (i.e., V_h-V0≧ΔV_th), and the difference between V_l and V0 is less than the predetermined threshold ΔV_th (i.e., V_l-V0<ΔV_th).

[0061] When the speed difference is small, the host vehicle M1 accelerates from time t0 to time t1. At this time, since the speed difference is small, the occupants hardly feel uncomfortable due to the acceleration. On the other hand, when the speed difference is large, if the acceleration time change process is not performed (i.e., the dashed line in Figure 7), the host vehicle M1 accelerates from time t0 to time t1. At this time, since the speed difference is large, the occupants may feel uncomfortable due to the sudden acceleration.

[0062] Therefore, the control device 20 performs an acceleration time change process to lengthen the acceleration time from the target following speed V0 to the first target speed V_h. Specifically, the control device 20 sets the time required for the host vehicle M1 to reach the first target speed V_h from time t0 to time t2, which is later than time t1, and accelerates the host vehicle M1 more slowly than when the speed difference is small. This prevents the host vehicle M1 from accelerating all at once, making it possible to prevent the occupants from feeling uncomfortable due to sudden acceleration.

[0063] After the constant speed cruise control based on the second target speed is executed in step S16, the user may wish to accelerate the host vehicle M1 before a new preceding vehicle M2 is detected. Therefore, when a command to accelerate the host vehicle M1 is input from the user while the constant speed cruise control based on the second target speed is being executed, the control device 20 sets the target speed to the first target speed. After the target speed becomes the first target speed, the constant speed cruise control based on the first target speed is executed until a new preceding vehicle M2 is detected, unless there is any additional input from the user. The "command to accelerate the host vehicle M1" may be, for example, an operation of depressing the accelerator pedal detected by the AP sensor 142 or an operation of the user pressing an acceleration button provided on the steering wheel or the like.

[0064] With this configuration, the target speed of the constant speed cruise control after the follow cruise control can be further increased based on the user's intention.

[0065] Furthermore, during execution of constant speed cruise control based on the second target speed, when a command to accelerate from the second target speed to the first target speed is input from the user, if the difference between the second target speed and the first target speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the control device 20 preferably performs processing to lengthen the time it takes to reach the first target speed from the second target speed compared to when the difference is less than the threshold. This processing is similar to the acceleration time change processing performed when switching from follow cruise control to execute constant speed cruise control based on the first target speed, and therefore will be described below by replacing target follow cruise speed V0 with the second target speed in Figure 7.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 7, when the difference between the second target speed and the first target speed is less than a predetermined threshold ΔV_th (i.e., when the speed difference is small), the host vehicle M1 accelerates from time t0 to time t1. At this time, since the speed difference is small, the occupants hardly feel uncomfortable due to the acceleration. On the other hand, when the difference between the second target speed and the first target speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold ΔV_th (i.e., when the speed difference is large), the host vehicle M1 accelerates from time t0 to time t1 unless the acceleration time change process is performed (i.e., the dashed line in FIG. 7). At this time, since the speed difference is large, the occupants may feel uncomfortable due to the sudden acceleration.

[0067] Therefore, it is preferable that the control device 20 lengthen the acceleration time from the second target speed V0 to the first target speed V_h by performing an acceleration time change process. Specifically, the control device 20 sets the time required for the host vehicle M1 to reach the first target speed V_h from time t0 to time t2, which is later than time t1, and accelerates the host vehicle M1 more slowly than when the speed difference is small. This prevents the host vehicle M1 from accelerating all at once, thereby preventing the occupants from feeling uncomfortable due to sudden acceleration.

[0068] <Modification> During execution of following driving control, when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected as the host vehicle M1 changes driving lanes, the control device 20 may execute constant speed movement control to control the driving speed of the host vehicle M1 so that it becomes a target speed based on the driving speed of the surrounding vehicle moving in the new driving lane.

[0069] In the example shown in Figure 8, the host vehicle M1 is traveling in a driving lane L1, and there are multiple driving lanes L2 and L3 around the host vehicle M1. The control device 20 adds a predetermined calculated value α_L2 based on the traveling speed of a nearby vehicle M3_L2 traveling in the driving lane L2 to the target following speed to obtain a second target speed for the driving lane L2. The control device 20 also adds a predetermined calculated value α_L3 based on the traveling speed of a nearby vehicle M3_L3 traveling in the driving lane L3 to the target following speed to obtain a second target speed for the driving lane L3.

[0070] When the host vehicle M1 changes lane from L1 to L2 while performing follow-up cruise control to follow the preceding vehicle M2, the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected. At this time, the control device 20 sets the target speed to a second target speed in the travel lane L2 and performs constant speed cruise control to control the travel speed of the host vehicle M1 to the second target speed in the travel lane L2. Also, when the host vehicle M1 changes lane from L1 to L3 while performing follow-up cruise control to follow the preceding vehicle M2, the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected. At this time, the control device 20 sets the target speed to a second target speed in the travel lane L3 and performs constant speed cruise control to control the travel speed of the host vehicle M1 to the second target speed in the travel lane L3.

[0071] Since the driving speed of surrounding vehicles may differ for each driving lane, by obtaining the second target speed for each driving lane, the host vehicle M1 can drive at an appropriate speed that matches the driving speed of vehicles driving in the driving lane to which the host vehicle M1 is to be changed.

[0072] Second Embodiment In the first embodiment described above, the control device 20 controls the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 during constant speed traveling control to make the host vehicle M1 reach the first target speed or the second target speed. The second target speed is calculated based on the target following speed and a predetermined calculation value α. In the second embodiment, the control device 20 controls the acceleration during constant speed traveling control to make the host vehicle M1 reach the first target speed or a speed based on the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3. In the second embodiment, the control device 20 does not calculate the second target speed.

[0073] The second embodiment will be described in detail below. Note that the configuration of the vehicle 10 (host vehicle M1) in the second embodiment is similar to that of the vehicle 10 in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0074] When accelerating from the current traveling speed (e.g., 100 km / h) to a first target speed (e.g., 120 km / h) during constant speed traveling control, the control device 20 sets the acceleration to a first acceleration. The first acceleration is a predetermined value (e.g., 2.5 km / h / sec) while the host vehicle M1 is accelerating to the first target speed. Furthermore, the first acceleration becomes 0 (zero) after the host vehicle M1 reaches the first target speed, that is, the host vehicle M1 travels at a constant speed after reaching the first target speed. Note that the value of the first acceleration may be changed as appropriate depending on the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1.

[0075] During constant speed cruise control, when accelerating from the current traveling speed (e.g., 100 km / h) to a speed (e.g., 110 km / h) based on the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3, the control device 20 sets the acceleration to the second acceleration. The second acceleration is calculated to be a predetermined positive value (e.g., 1 km / h / sec) when accelerating the host vehicle M1 to match the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3, and a predetermined negative value (e.g., −1 km / h / sec) when decelerating the host vehicle M1. When the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 reaches the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3 and the host vehicle M1 is not accelerated or decelerated, the second acceleration is calculated to be 0 (zero). That is, unlike the first acceleration, the second acceleration is calculated based on the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3. Furthermore, the magnitude (absolute value) of the second acceleration is basically set smaller than the magnitude of the first acceleration, thereby preventing the occupants from feeling uncomfortable due to sudden acceleration. The value of the second acceleration may be changed as appropriate depending on the relative speed between the host vehicle M1 and the surrounding vehicle M3.

[0076] In the second embodiment, when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected during the execution of follow-up cruise control, the control device 20 executes constant-speed cruise control, in which the acceleration of the host vehicle M1 is controlled so that the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 becomes equal to the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3. Specifically, when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected during the execution of follow-up cruise control, the control device 20 sets the acceleration of the host vehicle M1 to the second acceleration. Then, the control device 20 accelerates or decelerates the host vehicle M1 at the second acceleration so that the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 approaches the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3, and causes the host vehicle M1 to travel at a constant speed after the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 reaches a speed based on the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3.

[0077] In this way, in the constant speed cruise control that is executed when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected during the execution of the following cruise control, the host vehicle M1 can be made to follow the flow of surrounding traffic by controlling the acceleration of the host vehicle M1, as in the first embodiment. Therefore, when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected, the host vehicle M1 can travel in accordance with the flow of surrounding vehicle M3 without the user having to perform additional operations such as canceling the cruise speed control, operating the accelerator / brake, or resetting the first target speed.

[0078] In the second embodiment, it is preferable to acquire the second acceleration while the following cruise control is being performed. As a result, after the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected, the acceleration of the host vehicle M1 can be immediately set to the second acceleration, and the host vehicle M1 can accelerate or decelerate at the second acceleration so as to approach the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3. Therefore, the host vehicle M1 can smoothly join the surrounding traffic flow.

[0079] In the second embodiment, the control device 20 may notify the user via the notification unit 16 of information for selecting between constant speed traveling control (hereinafter also referred to as first constant speed traveling control) in which the host vehicle M1 is accelerated or decelerated at a second acceleration so that the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 approaches the traveling speed of the surrounding vehicle M3, and constant speed traveling control (hereinafter also referred to as second constant speed traveling control) in which the host vehicle M1 is accelerated at a first acceleration so that the traveling speed of the host vehicle M1 becomes a first target speed. When the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected during the execution of the follow-up traveling control, the control device 20 executes the first constant speed traveling control or the second constant speed traveling control, whichever is selected by the user. With this configuration, the user can select whether to accelerate the host vehicle M1 to the first target speed or to travel at the same speed as the surrounding vehicle M3.

[0080] The second acceleration may also be based on the acceleration of the nearby vehicle M3, i.e., the second acceleration may be set based on the traveling speed and acceleration of the nearby vehicle M3. This allows the second acceleration to be set higher when the nearby vehicle M3 is accelerating, and lower when the nearby vehicle M3 is decelerating, for example.

[0081] Next, the processing executed by the control device 20 in the second embodiment will be described. The processing flow of the second embodiment is generally similar to that of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 6, and therefore will not be illustrated again, but will be described using Fig. 6. In particular, steps S12, S13, S14, S16, S17, and S19, which are different from the first embodiment, will be described in detail.

[0082] In the second embodiment, in step S12, the control device 20 notifies the user via the notification unit 16 of information that allows the user to select either the first constant speed cruise control or the second constant speed cruise control as the constant speed cruise control to be executed after the following cruise control. Subsequently, in step S13, the control device 20 determines whether the user has selected the first constant speed cruise control. If the user has selected the first constant speed cruise control (step S13: YES), the control device 20 acquires a second acceleration and sets the acceleration to the second acceleration in step S14. Then, if the control device 20 determines that the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected (step S15: YES), the control device 20 executes the first constant speed cruise control based on the second acceleration in step S16. On the other hand, if the user has selected the second constant speed cruise control (step S13: NO), the control device 20 sets the acceleration to the first acceleration in step S17. Then, if the control device 20 determines that the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected (step S18: YES), the control device 20 executes the second constant speed cruise control based on the first acceleration in step S19.

[0083] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It is clear that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0084] In the first embodiment described above, the second target speed is smaller than the first target speed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The second target speed may be larger than the first target speed. Even if the second target speed is larger than the first target speed, when transitioning from follow-up cruise control to constant-speed cruise control based on the second target speed, the host vehicle M1 can travel at the same speed as the surrounding vehicle M3 and keep up with the surrounding traffic flow. Furthermore, when the second target speed is larger than the first target speed, the control device 20 may execute constant-speed cruise control based on the first target speed smaller than the second target speed when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected during execution of follow-up cruise control.

[0085] In the first embodiment described above, when the second target speed is smaller than the first target speed and a command to accelerate the host vehicle M1 is input from the user while constant speed traveling control based on the second target speed is being executed, the control device 20 sets the target speed to the first target speed that is larger than the second target speed. On the other hand, when the second target speed is larger than the first target speed and a command to accelerate the host vehicle M1 is input from the user while constant speed traveling control based on the second target speed is being executed, the second target speed is larger than the first target speed, so the control device 20 sets (i.e., maintains) the target speed to the second target speed.

[0086] In the first embodiment described above, the control device 20 acquires the second target speed while the follow-up cruise control is being performed, but this is not limiting. For example, the control device 20 may acquire the second target speed after the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected. Furthermore, the control device 20 may set either the second target speed acquired while the follow-up cruise control is being performed or the second target speed acquired after the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected as the target speed based on both the second target speed acquired while the follow-up cruise control is being performed and the second target speed acquired after the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected.

[0087] In the second embodiment described above, the control device 20 acquires the second acceleration while the follow-up cruise control is being performed, but this is not limiting. For example, the control device 20 may acquire the second acceleration after the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected.

[0088] In the first embodiment described above, the control device 20 notifies the user via the notification unit 16 of information for selecting a target speed while the following cruise control is being performed, but this is not limiting. For example, the control device 20 may notify the user of the information after the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected. Alternatively, the control device 20 may execute constant speed cruise control based on the second target speed when the preceding vehicle M2 is no longer detected, without notifying the user of the information.

[0089] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the moving body of the present invention is the vehicle 10, which is a four-wheeled automobile, but the present invention is not limited to this. The moving body of the present invention may be a two-wheeled automobile (a so-called motorcycle), a Segway, a ship, an airplane, or the like.

[0090] The traveling speed control described in the above-described embodiment can be realized by executing a prepared control program on a computer. The control program is stored in a computer-readable storage medium and executed by being read from the storage medium. The control program may be provided in a form stored in a non-volatile (non-transient) storage medium such as a flash memory, or may be provided via a network such as the Internet. The computer that executes the control program may be included in a control device mounted on the mobile object, or may be included in a terminal device such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or personal computer that can communicate with the mobile object, or may be included in a server device that can communicate with the mobile object.

[0091] This specification describes at least the following: In parentheses, components corresponding to those in the above-described embodiments are shown as examples, but the present invention is not limited to these.

[0092] (1) A control device (control device 20) for a moving body (vehicle 10, host vehicle M1) that can execute a following movement control (following running control) for controlling the movement speed of the moving body so as to follow a preceding moving body (preceding vehicle M2) that is moving ahead of the moving body, and a constant speed movement control (constant speed running control) for controlling the movement speed of the moving body so as to become a predetermined target speed (first target speed, second target speed), The control device When the preceding moving object is detected, the following movement control is executed; A control device for a moving body that, when the preceding moving body is no longer detected while the following movement control is being executed, executes the constant speed movement control to control the movement speed of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes the target speed (second target speed) based on the movement speed of a surrounding moving body (surrounding vehicle M3) moving around the moving body.

[0093] According to (1), when a leading moving body is no longer detected during execution of follow-up movement control and the control shifts from follow-up movement control to constant speed movement control, the moving body can move in accordance with the movement speed of surrounding moving bodies and can keep up with the flow of traffic in the vicinity, without the user having to perform any additional operations.

[0094] (2) A control device for a moving body according to (1), A control device for a moving body that acquires the target speed based on the moving speed of the surrounding moving body while the following movement control is being performed.

[0095] According to (2), since the target speed based on the speed of the surrounding moving object is acquired during the execution of the follow-up movement control, it is possible to immediately execute the constant speed movement control to control the moving speed of the moving object so that it becomes the target speed based on the moving speed of the surrounding moving object after the preceding moving object is no longer detected. Therefore, the moving object can smoothly join the flow of traffic in the vicinity.

[0096] (3) A control device for a moving body according to (1) or (2), the target speed is selectively set from a first target speed preset by a user of the moving body and a second target speed based on the moving speed of the surrounding moving body; The control device A control device for a moving body that notifies the user, via a notification unit (notification unit 16), of information that allows the user to select the target speed from the first target speed and the second target speed.

[0097] According to (3), the target speed of the constant speed movement control that is executed after the follow-up movement control is completed can be set based on the user's intention.

[0098] (4) A control device for a moving body according to (3), When the preceding moving object is detected, the following movement control is executed to control the movement speed of the moving object so that the moving object moves at a target following speed that is set based on the relative speed or relative position of the preceding moving object; When the user selects the first target speed as the target speed, if the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control, the constant speed movement control is executed to control the movement speed of the moving body so as to become the first target speed; a control device for a moving body, which, when transitioning from the following movement control to the constant-velocity movement control based on the first target velocity, if a difference between the target following velocity and the first target velocity is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (ΔV_th), extends the time required for the target following velocity to reach the first target velocity compared to when the difference is less than the threshold.

[0099] According to (4), when the constant speed movement control based on the first target speed is executed after the following movement control and the difference between the target following speed and the first target speed is large, the host vehicle M1 is slowly accelerated. This prevents the host vehicle M1 from accelerating suddenly, thereby preventing the occupants from feeling uncomfortable due to sudden acceleration.

[0100] (5) A control device for a moving body according to any one of (1) to (4), the target speed is selectively set from a first target speed preset by a user of the moving body and a second target speed based on the moving speed of the surrounding moving body; The control device a control device for a moving body that, when a command to accelerate the moving body is input from the user during execution of the constant velocity movement control based on the second target velocity, sets the target velocity to the larger of the first target velocity and the second target velocity.

[0101] According to (5), the target speed of the constant speed movement control after the following movement control can be further increased based on the user's intention.

[0102] (6) A control device for a moving body according to any one of (1) to (5), the target speed is selectively set from a first target speed preset by a user of the moving body and a second target speed based on the moving speed of the surrounding moving body; the first target speed is greater than the second target speed, The control device changing the target speed from the second target speed to the first target speed when a command to accelerate the moving body is input from the user during execution of the constant speed movement control based on the second target speed; A control device for a moving body that, when changing the target speed from the second target speed to the first target speed, if a difference between the second target speed and the first target speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (ΔV_th), extends the time required for the speed to change from the second target speed to the first target speed compared to when the difference is less than the threshold.

[0103] According to (6), when the target speed is changed from the second target speed to the first target speed and the difference between the second target speed and the first target speed is large, the host vehicle M1 is slowly accelerated. This prevents the host vehicle M1 from accelerating suddenly, thereby preventing the occupants from feeling uncomfortable due to sudden acceleration.

[0104] (7) A control device for a moving body according to any one of (1) to (6), There are a plurality of travel lanes (travel lanes L1, L2, L3) around the moving body, The control device A control device for a moving body that, when the moving body changes driving lanes, executes the constant speed movement control to control the moving speed of the moving body so that it becomes the target speed based on the moving speed of a surrounding moving body among the surrounding moving bodies moving in the new driving lane.

[0105] The moving speed of surrounding moving objects may differ depending on the driving lane. According to (7), the moving object can travel at an appropriate speed to match the moving speed of surrounding moving objects traveling in the new driving lane.

[0106] (8) A control device for a moving body according to any one of (1) to (7), A control device for a moving body, wherein the target speed is set based on the moving speed and acceleration of the surrounding moving body.

[0107] According to (8), the target speed of the moving object can be appropriately set in accordance with the acceleration or deceleration of the surrounding moving objects.

[0108] (9) A control device (control device 20) for a moving body (vehicle 10, host vehicle M1) that can execute a following movement control (following running control) for controlling the movement speed of the moving body so as to follow a preceding moving body (preceding vehicle M2) moving in front of the moving body, and a constant speed movement control (constant speed running control) for controlling the movement speed of the moving body to a predetermined speed (first target speed, a speed based on the movement speed of a surrounding vehicle M3), The control device When the preceding moving object is detected, the following movement control is executed; A control device for a moving body that, when the preceding moving body is no longer detected while the following movement control is being executed, executes the constant speed movement control, which controls the acceleration of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes a speed based on the movement speed of a surrounding moving body (surrounding vehicle M3) moving around the moving body.

[0109] According to (9), when a leading moving body is no longer detected during execution of follow-up movement control and the control shifts from follow-up movement control to constant speed movement control, the moving body can move in accordance with the movement speed of surrounding moving bodies and can join the flow of surrounding traffic without the user having to perform any additional operations.

[0110] (10) A control device for a moving body according to (9), When the preceding moving object is no longer detected during the execution of the following movement control, the moving object is accelerated or decelerated at a predetermined acceleration (second acceleration) based on the movement speed of the surrounding moving object; A control device for a moving body that acquires the predetermined acceleration while the following movement control is being executed.

[0111] According to (10), since the predetermined acceleration based on the moving speed of the surrounding moving body is acquired during the execution of the follow-up movement control, the acceleration of the moving body can be immediately set to the predetermined acceleration after the preceding moving body is no longer detected, and the moving body can be accelerated or decelerated at the predetermined acceleration so as to approach the moving speed of the surrounding moving body. Therefore, the moving body can smoothly join the flow of traffic in the vicinity.

[0112] (11) A control device for a moving body according to (9) or (10), The control device a first constant speed movement control as the constant speed movement control for controlling acceleration of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes the speed based on the movement speed of the surrounding moving body, and a second constant speed movement control for controlling acceleration of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes a target speed preset by a user, notifying the user via a notification unit (notification unit 16) of information for selecting whether to execute the first constant speed movement control or the second constant speed movement control; a control device for a moving body that, when the preceding moving body becomes undetectable during execution of the following movement control, executes one of the first constant velocity movement control and the second constant velocity movement control selected by a user;

[0113] According to (11), the user can select whether to move the moving object at the same speed as the speed of the surrounding moving object, or to accelerate the moving object to a target speed preset by the user.

[0114] (12) A control device for a moving body according to (10), A control device for a moving body, wherein the predetermined acceleration is set based on the moving speed and acceleration of the surrounding moving body.

[0115] According to (12), the acceleration of the moving object can be appropriately set in accordance with the acceleration or deceleration of the surrounding moving objects.

[0116] (13) A method for controlling a moving object, comprising: a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so as to follow the preceding moving body when a preceding moving body moving ahead of the moving body is detected; a constant speed movement control that controls the movement speed or acceleration of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes a speed based on the movement speed of a surrounding moving body moving around the moving body when the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control; A method for controlling a moving object, the method being executed by a computer.

[0117] According to (13), when a leading moving body is no longer detected during execution of follow-up movement control and the control shifts from follow-up movement control to constant speed movement control, the moving body can move in accordance with the movement speed of surrounding moving bodies and can join the flow of surrounding traffic without the user having to perform any additional operations.

[0118] (14) A control program for a moving object, comprising: a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so as to follow the preceding moving body when a preceding moving body moving ahead of the moving body is detected; a constant speed movement control that controls the movement speed or acceleration of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes a speed based on the movement speed of a surrounding moving body moving around the moving body when the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control; A control program for a moving object that causes a computer to execute the above.

[0119] According to (14), when a leading moving body is no longer detected during execution of follow-up movement control and the control shifts from follow-up movement control to constant speed movement control, the moving body can move in accordance with the movement speed of surrounding moving bodies and can join the flow of surrounding traffic without the user having to perform any additional operations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 10 Vehicles (moving objects) 16 Notification Department 20 Control device M1 Vehicle (moving object) M2 Leading vehicle (leading moving body) M3 Peripheral vehicles (peripheral moving objects)

Claims

1. A control device for a moving body capable of executing a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so that the moving body follows a preceding moving body moving in front of the moving body, and a constant speed movement control for controlling the movement speed of the moving body so that the movement speed becomes a predetermined target speed, the target speed is selectively set from a first target speed preset by a user of the moving body and a second target speed based on a moving speed of a surrounding moving body moving around the moving body, The control device When the preceding moving object is detected, the following movement control is executed; notifying the user via a notification unit of information for the user to select the target speed from the first target speed and the second target speed; When the user selects the first target speed as the target speed, if the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control, the constant speed movement control is executed to control the movement speed of the moving body so as to become the first target speed; A control device for a moving body, which, when the user selects the second target speed as the target speed, executes the constant speed movement control to control the movement speed of the moving body so that it becomes the second target speed when the leading moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control.

2. The control device for a moving body according to claim 1, A control device for a moving body that acquires the target speed based on the moving speed of the surrounding moving body while the following movement control is being performed.

3. The control device for a moving body according to claim 1 or 2, When the preceding moving object is detected, the following movement control is executed to control the movement speed of the moving object so that the moving object moves at a target following speed that is set based on the relative speed or relative position with respect to the preceding moving object; a control device for a moving body, when transitioning from the following movement control to the constant speed movement control based on the first target speed, if a difference between the target following speed and the first target speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the control device extends the time required for the target following speed to reach the first target speed compared to when the difference is less than the threshold.

4. The control device for a moving body according to claim 1 or 2, The control device a control device for a moving body that, when a command to accelerate the moving body is input from the user during execution of the constant speed movement control based on the second target speed, sets the target speed to the larger of the first target speed and the second target speed.

5. The control device for a moving body according to claim 1 or 2, the first target speed is greater than the second target speed, The control device changing the target speed from the second target speed to the first target speed when a command to accelerate the moving body is input from the user during execution of the constant speed movement control based on the second target speed; a control device for a moving body, when changing the target speed from the second target speed to the first target speed, if a difference between the second target speed and the first target speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the control device extends the time required for the speed to change from the second target speed to the first target speed compared to when the difference is less than the threshold.

6. The control device for a moving body according to claim 1 or 2, There are a plurality of travel lanes around the moving body, The control device A control device for a moving body that, when the moving body changes driving lanes, executes the constant speed movement control to control the moving speed of the moving body so that it becomes the target speed based on the moving speed of a surrounding moving body among the surrounding moving bodies moving in the new driving lane.

7. The control device for a moving body according to claim 1 or 2, A control device for a moving body, wherein the target speed is set based on the moving speed and acceleration of the surrounding moving body.

8. A control device for a moving body capable of executing a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so that the moving body follows a preceding moving body moving in front of the moving body, and a constant speed movement control for controlling the movement speed of the moving body to a predetermined speed, The control device a first constant speed movement control as the constant speed movement control for controlling acceleration of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes a speed based on the movement speed of a surrounding moving body moving around the moving body, and a second constant speed movement control for controlling acceleration of the moving body so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes a target speed preset by a user, When the preceding moving object is detected, the following movement control is executed; notifying the user via a notification unit of information for selecting whether to execute the first constant speed movement control or the second constant speed movement control; a control device for a moving body that, when the preceding moving body becomes undetectable during execution of the following movement control, executes one of the first constant velocity movement control and the second constant velocity movement control selected by the user;

9. The control device for a moving body according to claim 8, When the preceding moving object is no longer detected during the execution of the following movement control, the moving object is accelerated or decelerated at a predetermined acceleration based on the movement speed of the surrounding moving object; A control device for a moving body that acquires the predetermined acceleration while the following movement control is being executed.

10. The control device for a moving body according to claim 9, A control device for a moving body, wherein the predetermined acceleration is set based on the moving speed and acceleration of the surrounding moving body.

11. A method for controlling a moving object, comprising: the moving body is capable of executing a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so as to follow a preceding moving body moving in front, and a constant speed movement control for controlling the movement speed of the moving body so as to become a predetermined target speed, the following movement control, when the preceding moving object is detected, controlling the movement speed of the moving object so as to follow the preceding moving object; a process of notifying the user of the moving body via a notification unit of information for allowing the user to select the target speed from a first target speed preset by the user and a second target speed based on the moving speeds of surrounding moving bodies moving around the moving body; the constant speed movement control, in which, when the user selects the first target speed as the target speed, if the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control, the movement speed or acceleration of the moving body is controlled so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes the first target speed; the constant speed movement control, in which, when the user selects the second target speed as the target speed, if the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control, the movement speed or acceleration of the moving body is controlled so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes the second target speed; A method for controlling a moving object, the method being executed by a computer.

12. A control program for a moving object, the moving body is capable of executing a following movement control for controlling a movement speed of the moving body so as to follow a preceding moving body moving in front, and a constant speed movement control for controlling the movement speed of the moving body so as to become a predetermined target speed, the following movement control, when the preceding moving object is detected, controlling the movement speed of the moving object so as to follow the preceding moving object; a process of notifying the user of the moving body via a notification unit of information for allowing the user to select the target speed from a first target speed preset by the user and a second target speed based on the moving speeds of surrounding moving bodies moving around the moving body; the constant speed movement control, in which, when the user selects the first target speed as the target speed, if the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control, the movement speed or acceleration of the moving body is controlled so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes the first target speed; the constant speed movement control, in which, when the user selects the second target speed as the target speed, if the preceding moving body is no longer detected during execution of the following movement control, the movement speed or acceleration of the moving body is controlled so that the movement speed of the moving body becomes the second target speed; A control program for a moving object that causes a computer to execute the above.

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