Control device, control method, and program

Abstract

To control a vehicle so that the vehicle performs an action more appropriate to a surrounding situation.SOLUTION: A control device comprises: an acquisition section which acquires a speed of another vehicle and a position of the other vehicle; a determination section which selects a determination technique according to the speed of the other vehicle from among a plurality of determination techniques, and which applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination technique to determine whether the other vehicle enters, from a first lane in which the other vehicle travels, a second lane adjacent to the first lane; and a control section which controls a vehicle on the basis of a determination result of the determination section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, a driving control device has been disclosed that recognizes white lines as lane markings that separate the vehicle's lane based on images acquired by an imaging device, and determines that a vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane is an intruding vehicle that is cutting into the vehicle's lane based on the relative position of the vehicle in the width direction relative to the white lines (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-134093 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the above-mentioned technology, there are cases where the intended action of the vehicle cannot be determined with high accuracy.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a control device, control method, and program that can accurately determine or estimate the vehicle's intended behavior, thereby controlling the vehicle to behave in a manner that is more in line with the surrounding conditions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The control device, control method, and program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A control device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an acquisition unit that acquires the speed and position of another vehicle, a determination unit that selects a determination method from among a plurality of determination methods according to the speed of the other vehicle and applies the selected determination method to the position of the other vehicle to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling, and a control unit that controls the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit.

[0007] (2): In the above aspect (1), the judgment unit selects a first judgment method from the plurality of judgment methods when the speed of the other vehicle is less than a threshold, and selects a second judgment method from the plurality of judgment methods when the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold, wherein the first judgment method includes the orientation of the other vehicle relative to the second lane as a judgment criterion, and the second judgment method does not include the orientation of the other vehicle relative to the second lane as a judgment criterion.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (1) or (2), the judgment unit selects a first judgment method from the plurality of judgment methods when the speed of the other vehicle is less than a threshold, and selects a second judgment method from the plurality of judgment methods when the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold, wherein the first judgment method includes the distance from the center of gravity of the other vehicle to the road dividing line that separates the first lane and the second lane in the judgment criteria, and the second judgment method does not include the distance from the center of gravity of the other vehicle to the road dividing line that separates the first lane and the second lane in the judgment criteria.

[0009] (4): In the above aspect (2) or (3), when the orientation of the other vehicle relative to the second lane satisfies a criterion and the distance from the center of gravity of the other vehicle to the road dividing line separating the first lane and the second lane satisfies a criterion for a first time period, the judgment unit judges that the other vehicle will change lanes to the second lane, and the control unit prevents the vehicle from changing lanes to the second lane.

[0010] (5): In any of the above aspects (1) to (4), the judgment unit selects a first judgment method from the plurality of judgment methods when the speed of the other vehicle is less than a threshold, and selects a second judgment method from the plurality of judgment methods when the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold, wherein the first judgment method does not include in its judgment criteria the distance from the end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line that separates the first lane and the second lane, and the second judgment method includes in its judgment criteria the distance from the end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line.

[0011] (6): In any of the above aspects (1) to (5), in the second determination method, if the trend of change in the distance from the end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line at a predetermined time tends to become shorter at a rate equal to or greater than a threshold value and the distance is equal to or less than a threshold value, the determination unit determines that the other vehicle will change lanes to the second lane, and the control unit prevents the vehicle from changing lanes to the second lane.

[0012] (7): In any of the above aspects (1) to (6), the judgment unit selects a first judgment method from the plurality of judgment methods when the speed of the other vehicle is less than a threshold, and selects a second judgment method from the plurality of judgment methods when the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold, wherein the first judgment method includes in its judgment criteria the orientation of the other vehicle relative to the second lane and the distance from the center of gravity of the other vehicle to the road dividing line that separates the first lane and the second lane, but does not include in its judgment criteria the distance from an end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line, and the second judgment method includes in its judgment criteria the distance from an end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line, but does not include in its judgment criteria the orientation of the other vehicle relative to the second lane and the distance from the center of gravity of the other vehicle to the road dividing line that separates the first lane and the second lane.

[0013] (8): In any of the above aspects (1) to (7), if the road corresponding to the first lane and the second lane is not a curved road with a predetermined degree or more, the judgment unit uses a judgment method according to the speed of the other vehicle to judge whether the other vehicle will enter the second lane, and if the road corresponding to the first lane and the second lane is a curved road with a predetermined degree or more, the judgment unit uses a judgment method according to the speed of the other vehicle to judge whether the other vehicle will enter the second lane.

[0014] (9): In any of the above aspects (1) to (8), when the vehicle is in a third lane adjacent to the first lane but not adjacent to the second lane, and when the vehicle approaches a target zone for changing lanes from the third lane to the second lane, if another vehicle is entering the second lane ahead of the reference position of the vehicle, the control unit causes the vehicle to change lanes to the second lane behind the other vehicle without taking into account the judgment result of a judgment method based on the speed of the other vehicle.

[0015] (10): A control method according to one embodiment of the present invention acquires the speed and position of another vehicle, selects a judgment method from among a plurality of judgment methods according to the speed of the other vehicle, applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected judgment method, determines whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling, and controls the vehicle based on the result of the judgment.

[0016] (11): A control program according to one embodiment of the present invention acquires the speed and position of another vehicle, selects a judgment method from among a plurality of judgment methods according to the speed of the other vehicle, applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected judgment method, and determines whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling, and controls the vehicle based on the result of the judgment. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to (1)-(11), by accurately determining or estimating the intended behavior of the vehicle, the vehicle can be controlled to behave in a manner more suited to the surrounding circumstances. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 that uses a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a functional configuration diagram of a first control unit 120 and a second control unit 160. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining a first determination method. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining the first determination method. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining a second determination method. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining the second determination method. [Figure 7] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the automatic driving control device 100. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle system 1A according to a first modification. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an output image. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] [Overall configuration] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 that uses a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. The vehicle 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 of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0021] The vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 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, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driving operator 80, an automatic driving control 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.

[0022] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera using 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 a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the host vehicle M) in which the vehicle system 1 is installed. When capturing an image of the front, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield, the back of the rearview mirror, or the like. The camera 10, for example, periodically and repeatedly captures images of the surroundings of the host vehicle M. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0023] 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.

[0024] 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.

[0025] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the automatic driving control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 directly to the automatic driving control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

[0026] 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.

[0027] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, a speaker, a buzzer, a touch panel, switches, keys, and the like.

[0028] 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 angular velocity around a vertical axis, a direction sensor that detects the direction of the host vehicle M, and the like.

[0029] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first 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 the components with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter, a map route) from the position of the vehicle M identified by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52, with reference to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is information that represents road shapes using, for example, links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 54 may also include information such as road curvature and POI (Point of Interest) information. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. 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 owned 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.

[0030] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61, and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into a plurality of blocks (for example, by dividing it into 100 m intervals in the vehicle travel direction), and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines, for example, which lane from the left the vehicle should travel in. When there is a branch point on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route to the branch point.

[0031] The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes or information on lane boundaries. The second map information 62 may also include road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices.

[0032] The driving operators 80 include, for example, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, a steering wheel, a special steering wheel, a joystick, 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 automatic driving control device 100 or some or all of the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0033] The automatic driving control device 100 includes, for example, a first control unit 120 and a second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160 are each realized by, for example, 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 (storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as a HDD or flash memory of the automatic driving control 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 automatic driving control device 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) into a drive device. The automatic driving control device 100 is an example of a "control device."

[0034] FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 includes, for example, a recognition unit 130 and an action plan generation unit 140. The first control unit 120, for example, implements a function based on AI (Artificial Intelligence) and a function based on a pre-given model in parallel. For example, the function of "recognizing intersections" may be implemented by executing in parallel recognition of intersections using deep learning or the like and recognition based on pre-given conditions (such as traffic lights and road markings that can be pattern-matched), and then scoring and comprehensively evaluating both. This ensures the reliability of autonomous driving.

[0035] The recognition unit 130 recognizes the position, speed, acceleration, and other states of objects around the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. 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 may be represented by a represented area. The "state" of an object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or the "behavioral state" (for example, whether the object is changing lanes or is about to change lanes).

[0036] The recognition unit 130 also recognizes, for example, the lane in which the host vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the driving lane by comparing the pattern of road dividing lines (e.g., an arrangement of solid lines and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with the pattern of road dividing lines around the host vehicle M recognized from an image captured by the camera 10. Note that the recognition unit 130 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including not only road dividing lines but also road dividing lines, shoulders, curbs, medians, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the host vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by the INS may be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 130 also recognizes stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena.

[0037] When recognizing the driving lane, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 130 may recognize the deviation of the reference point 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 direction of travel 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 130 may recognize the position of the reference point of the host vehicle M with respect to either side edge of the driving lane (a road dividing line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. The recognition unit 130 is an example of an "acquisition unit."

[0038] The behavior plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory along which the host vehicle M will travel in the future automatically (without relying on the driver's operation) so that the host vehicle M will, in principle, travel along the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 61 and can respond to the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M. The target trajectory includes, for example, a speed element. For example, the target trajectory is expressed as a sequence of points (trajectory points) that the host vehicle M should reach. The trajectory points are points that the host vehicle M should reach at every predetermined travel distance (for example, about several meters) along the road. Separately, target speeds and target accelerations are generated as part of the target trajectory for every predetermined sampling time (for example, about a few tenths of a second). Furthermore, the trajectory points may be positions that the host vehicle M should reach at each sampling time for each predetermined sampling time. In this case, information on the target speed and target acceleration is expressed as the interval between trajectory points.

[0039] The behavior plan generation unit 140 may set an autonomous driving event when generating the target trajectory. The autonomous driving events include a constant speed driving event, a low speed following driving event, a lane change event, a branching event, a merging event, and a takeover event. The behavior plan generation unit 140 generates a target trajectory according to the activated event. The behavior plan generation unit 140 includes a determination unit 142. Details of the determination unit 142 will be described later.

[0040] The second control unit 160 controls the traveling driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 so that the host vehicle M passes through the target trajectory generated by the action plan generation unit 140 at the scheduled time.

[0041] Returning to FIG. 2, the second control unit 160 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 162, a speed control unit 164, and a steering control unit 166. The acquisition unit 162 acquires information on the target trajectory (trajectory points) generated by the action plan generation unit 140 and stores it in a memory (not shown). The speed control unit 164 controls the driving force output device 200 or the brake device 210 based on a speed element associated with the target trajectory stored in the memory. The steering control unit 166 controls the steering device 220 according to the curvature of the target trajectory stored in the memory. The processing of the speed control unit 164 and the steering control unit 166 is realized by, for example, a combination of feedforward control and feedback control. As an example, the steering control unit 166 executes a combination of feedforward control according to the curvature of the road ahead of the host vehicle M and feedback control based on the deviation from the target trajectory.

[0042] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) for the vehicle to travel to the drive 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 second control unit 160 or information input from the driving operator 80.

[0043] Braking device 210 may include, 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 second control unit 160 or information input from driving operation device 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. Braking device 210 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operation of a brake pedal included in driving operation device 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that braking device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from second control unit 160 to transmit hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0044] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies a force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor in accordance with information input from the second control unit 160 or information input from the driving operator 80 to change the direction of the steered wheels.

[0045] [Merge decision and control] The determination unit 142 changes the determination method (determination rule, determination logic, determination criterion) for determining whether the other vehicle will merge into the target lane depending on the speed of the other vehicle or the host vehicle M (or the speeds of both). For example, if the speed of the other vehicle or the host vehicle M (or the speeds of both) is less than a first speed (e.g., if it is a low speed), the first determination method is adopted, and if the speed of the other vehicle or the host vehicle M (or the speeds of both) exceeds a second speed (e.g., if it is a high speed), the second determination method is adopted. The first speed and the second speed may be the same or different.

[0046] (1st judgment method) The first determination method will be described below. Fig. 3 is a diagram (part 1) for describing the first determination method. On a road having lanes L1, L2, and L3, host vehicle M, other vehicle m1, and other vehicle m2 are traveling in the same direction. Host vehicle M is located in lane L1, and other vehicle m1 is located in front of host vehicle M in lane L2. Other vehicle m2 is located in front of host vehicle M and behind other vehicle m1 in lane L3. The target zone TZ is the target zone TZ that host vehicle M will enter. The target zone TZ is set, for example, behind other vehicle m1 or in an area where there are no other vehicles that may interfere with the front or rear of host vehicle M if host vehicle M changes lanes.

[0047] The first determination method is a method of determining that the other vehicle m2 will invade the lane L2 when (Condition A), (Condition B), and (Condition C) are satisfied.

[0048] (Condition A) is that the angle θ formed by the direction dr1 corresponding to the direction of the other vehicle m2 and the direction dr2 of the road dividing line D1 is equal to or greater than the threshold value Th1. The direction dr1 of the other vehicle is, for example, the direction of the central axis of the other vehicle m2. The direction dr1# in FIG. 3 is the direction dr1 shifted toward the lane L2. The direction dr2 of the road dividing line is, for example, the direction of the road dividing line D1 that is closest to the host vehicle M, which defines the lane L3 in which the other vehicle m2 is traveling. (Condition A) is an example of a "criterion for determining the direction of the other vehicle relative to the second lane."

[0049] (Condition B) is that the distance a (center of gravity distance a) between the reference position of the other vehicle m2 and the road dividing line D1 is equal to or less than a threshold value Th2. The reference position of the other vehicle m2 is, for example, the center of gravity of the other vehicle or any other position. (Condition B) is an example of "the distance from the center of gravity of the other vehicle to the road dividing line separating the first lane and the second lane is used as a judgment criterion."

[0050] (Condition C) is a state in which (Condition A) and (Condition B) are satisfied that has continued for a period of time equal to or greater than threshold Th3. (Condition C) is an example of "a state in which the orientation of the other vehicle relative to the second lane satisfies a criterion and the distance from the center of gravity of the other vehicle to the road dividing line separating the first lane and the second lane satisfies a criterion has continued for a first time period."

[0051] 4 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining the first determination method. As shown in FIG. 4, when the angle θ becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value Th1 at time T and the distance a becomes equal to or less than the threshold value Th2 at time T+1, the determination unit 142 starts counting the time during which (Condition 1) and (Condition 2) are satisfied. At time T+2, when a predetermined time has elapsed since time T+1, the determination unit 142 determines that (Condition 1), (Condition 2), and (Condition 3) are satisfied, and determines that another vehicle m2 will enter lane L2.

[0052] As described above, the determination unit 142 determines whether the other vehicle m2 has entered the lane L2 using (Condition A), (Condition B), and (Condition C).

[0053] (Second judgment method) The second determination method will be described below. Figure 5 is a diagram (part 1) for explaining the second determination method. The following will focus on the differences from Figure 3.

[0054] The second determination method is a method for determining that another vehicle m2 is encroaching into lane L2 when (condition a) and (condition b) are satisfied. (Condition a) or (condition b) is an example of "the distance from the end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line that separates the first lane and the second lane is used as a determination criterion." (Condition a) and (condition b) are examples of "the change in the distance from the end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line over a predetermined time period tends to become shorter at a rate equal to or greater than a threshold, and the distance is equal to or less than a threshold."

[0055] Condition a) is that the trend of change in the amount of lateral movement of the other vehicle m2 over a predetermined time period is shorter than or equal to a threshold value. The determination unit 142 acquires the distance (end point distance) between the road dividing line D1 and the reference point of the other vehicle m2 over a predetermined time period, and the change in distance over time. The reference point of the other vehicle m2 is, for example, the end point of the other vehicle m2. For example, if the other vehicle m2 is about to enter the left lane, the end point is the left front position of the other vehicle m2. For example, if the other vehicle m2 is about to enter the right lane, the end point is the right front position of the other vehicle m2. The end point may not be on the front side, but may be a rear end point (e.g., the left end of the rear). For example, the determination unit 142 acquires the end point distance d1 at time t and the end point distance d2 at time t+1. The trend of change in the amount of lateral movement will be described later with reference to FIG. 6.

[0056] (Condition b) is that the distance between the road dividing line D1 and the reference point of the other vehicle m2 is equal to or less than the threshold value Th4. In other words, the determination unit 142 determines that (Condition b) is satisfied when the end point of the other vehicle m2 approaches the road dividing line D1.

[0057] FIG. 6 is a diagram (part 2) for explaining the second determination method. As shown in the upper diagram of FIG. 6, the endpoint distance between the road-dividing line D1 and the endpoint of the other vehicle m2 is plotted for each time period, and the plotted points are approximated to a straight line using a predetermined method such as the least squares method. If this straight line shows a tendency to approach the road-dividing line D1 and the slope of this straight line is equal to or greater than a predetermined slope, the determination unit 142 determines that (Condition a) is satisfied. The straight line is an example of the trend of change in the amount of lateral movement. Instead of a straight line, a curve or other criterion for expressing a trend may be used to represent the trend of change in the amount of lateral movement. Furthermore, as shown in the lower diagram of FIG. 6, if the endpoint distance between the road-dividing line D1 and the endpoint of the other vehicle m2 is equal to or less than a threshold value Th4, the determination unit 142 determines that (Condition b) is satisfied.

[0058] As described above, the determination unit 142 determines whether the other vehicle m2 has entered the lane L2 using (condition a) and (condition b).

[0059] For example, when the determination unit 142 determines using the first determination method or the second determination method that the other vehicle m2 will enter the lane L2, the behavior plan generation unit 140 stops the host vehicle M from entering the lane L2. For example, the behavior plan generation unit 140 controls the host vehicle M to stay in the lane L1, or controls the vehicle M not to proceed toward the lane L2 from the current position of the host vehicle M. In this case, the behavior plan generation unit 140 may set a target zone TZ behind the other vehicle m2 and cause the host vehicle M to enter the target zone TZ.

[0060] [flowchart] 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the automatic driving control device 100. First, the behavior plan generation unit 140 sets a target zone (step S100). Next, the behavior plan generation unit 140 calculates the angle θ, the center of gravity distance a, and the end point distance d, and activates the first and second determination methods (step S102).

[0061] Next, the behavior plan generating unit 140 determines whether the radius of the road is R** or more (step S104). In other words, the behavior plan generating unit 140 determines whether the road is nearly straight (a road with a radius equal to or greater than a predetermined value). The road is a road on which the host vehicle M and other vehicles travel, and specifically, a road corresponding to the target zone. If the radius of the road is not R** or more (if the road is a curved road with a curve of equal to or greater than a predetermined degree), the behavior plan generating unit 140 resets the processing of the first determination method (step S106). This resets the count-up related to the above-mentioned condition C.

[0062] If the road radius is R** or greater (for example, if the road is a nearly straight road or a straight road, rather than a curved road with a predetermined degree or greater), the behavior plan generation unit 140 determines whether the host vehicle M has reached the side of the target zone and whether a margin before and after the target lane (lane L2) has been secured (step S108). If the host vehicle M has not reached the side of the target zone or if a margin before and after the target lane (lane L2) has not been secured, the process returns to step S102. Securing a margin before and after the target lane (lane L2) means a margin required for the host vehicle M to change lanes to the target lane.

[0063] When the host vehicle M reaches the side of the target zone and a front-to-rear margin is secured, the behavior plan generation unit 140 determines whether another vehicle (a vehicle attempting to enter lane L2 from lane L3) is present in the target lane ahead of the center of gravity of the host vehicle M (step S110). In other words, the determination in step S110 is performed when the host vehicle M approaches the target zone. In the processing of step S110, another position of the host vehicle M may be referenced instead of the center of gravity position. The center of gravity position or another position of the host vehicle M is an example of a "reference position." When another vehicle is present, the behavior plan generation unit 140 issues a merging instruction to the vehicle M to change lanes behind the other vehicle (step S112). Because the other vehicle has already completed or is about to complete a lane change, the host vehicle M changes lanes behind the other vehicle without considering the determination results of the first determination method and the second determination method.

[0064] If there is no other vehicle in the target lane in step S110, the behavior plan generator 140 determines whether the determination result of the first determination method is NG (determination that lane change is not possible) (step S114). The determination result of the first determination method is NG when, for example, the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or less than the first speed and the other vehicle satisfies (condition A)-(condition C).

[0065] If the determination result of the first determination method is NG determination, the behavior plan generation unit 140 returns to the processing of step S100. If the determination result of the first determination method is not NG determination in the processing of step S114, the behavior plan generation unit 140 determines whether the determination result of the second determination method is NG determination (determination that lane change is not possible) (step S116). The determination result of the second determination method being NG determination means, for example, that the speed of the other vehicle exceeds the second speed and the other vehicle satisfies (condition a) and (condition b). If the determination result of the second determination method is NG determination, the behavior plan generation unit 140 returns to the processing of step S100.

[0066] If the determination result of the second determination method is not an NG determination, the behavior plan generating unit 140 issues a merging instruction to the vehicle M, causing the vehicle M to change lanes to the target lane (step S112). This ends the processing of one routine of this flowchart.

[0067] As described above, the automatic driving control device 100 controls the host vehicle M based on the determination result obtained using the first determination method or the second determination method. This allows the host vehicle M to change lanes more smoothly, taking into account the surrounding conditions.

[0068] For example, when the host vehicle M attempts to change lanes into a target lane, another vehicle may attempt to enter the target lane from a lane adjacent to the target lane (a lane L3 different from the lane in which the host vehicle M is traveling). In this case, it may be difficult to determine whether the vehicle is merging, or the determination may be delayed. For example, the state of the turn signal can be obtained by recognizing an image, but if the turn signal is not on, the intrusion of the other vehicle may not be detected.

[0069] Therefore, in this embodiment, the determination unit 142 determines whether or not the other vehicle is about to enter the target lane by using the direction of the other vehicle and changes in relation to the road dividing lines. This allows the determination unit 142 to accurately determine whether or not the other vehicle is about to enter the target lane. For example, even if the other vehicle does not have its turn signal on or if it is difficult for the host vehicle M to recognize the state of the turn signal, the determination unit 142 can accurately determine whether or not the other vehicle is about to enter the target lane. By taking action using this determination result, the host vehicle M can take action that takes into account the surrounding circumstances more.

[0070] Furthermore, the first and second determination methods are methods that observe various parameters when a vehicle changes lanes at each speed, and use parameters from the observed parameters that can accurately and easily estimate or determine whether the vehicle will enter the target lane. Therefore, as described above, the automatic driving control device 100 can easily and accurately determine whether another vehicle will enter the target lane by using a determination method according to the speed.

[0071] <Variation 1> In the above-described example, when changing lanes during autonomous driving, the behavior plan generation unit 140 determines whether another vehicle will enter a target lane based on the behavior of the other vehicle, and controls the host vehicle M based on the determination result. In the first modification, when the auto lane change function is turned on by the driver instead of autonomous driving, a similar determination is made, and control according to the determination result is realized.

[0072] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a vehicle system 1A of Modification 1. The vehicle system 1A includes a driving assistance device 100A instead of (or in addition to) the automatic driving control device 100 of the vehicle system 1. The driving assistance device 100A includes, for example, a first control unit 120A and a second control unit 160. The first control unit 120A includes, for example, a recognition unit 130 and an automobile lane change control unit 140A. The automobile lane change control unit 140A includes a determination unit 142. The recognition unit 130, the determination unit 142, and the second control unit 160 have the same functional configurations as the functional configurations with the same names and symbols described above.

[0073] The automated lane change control unit 140A automatically changes lanes based on, for example, a driver's instruction without relying on the driver's operation. The driver's instruction may be, for example, operating a predetermined button or operating a turn signal lever in the desired direction of the lane change. For example, when the host vehicle M takes an action to change lanes, the automated lane change control unit 140A changes lanes on the condition that it does not interfere with other vehicles around the host vehicle M. If it is expected that the host vehicle M will interfere with other vehicles around the host vehicle M, the automated lane change control unit 140A postpones the lane change for a predetermined time and, if the above conditions are met after the postponement, changes lanes. At this time, the automated lane change control unit 140A determines whether to start the lane change or whether to stop the lane change after starting the lane change, based on the determination result of the determination unit 142. For example, if the determination unit 142 determines that another vehicle will enter the target lane, the automated lane change control unit 140A postpones the start of the lane change or stops the lane change after starting the lane change.

[0074] As described above, the automobile lane change control unit 140A controls the host vehicle M based on the result of the determination unit 142, thereby making it possible for the host vehicle M to take an action that is more suited to the surrounding situation.

[0075] <Variation 2> In the second modification, during manual driving, the HMI 30 outputs information based on the determination result of the determination unit 142. The output is audio or image output. The information based on the determination result is, for example, information indicating that there is a high risk that another vehicle will enter the target lane, or information indicating that another vehicle is about to enter the target lane. Providing information as described above is an example of "controlling the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit."

[0076] 9 is a diagram showing an example of an output image. For example, when the determination unit 142 determines that another vehicle is about to enter the target lane, the automatic driving control device 100 (the driving assistance device 100A or a control device mounted on the vehicle M) causes the HMI 30 to display an image warning the driver that another vehicle is about to enter the target lane.

[0077] As described above, the information about other vehicles is provided to the driver, thereby improving convenience for the driver.

[0078] <Variation 3> In Modification 3, the state of the turn signal of the other vehicle is taken into consideration. For example, the determination unit 142 may include, in the conditions for the first determination method or the second determination method, a condition that the turn signal indicates that the other vehicle will enter the target lane.

[0079] When the turn signal indicates that the vehicle is about to enter the target lane, the determination unit 142 may relax the conditions of the first determination method or the second determination method, such as the threshold value or the timer, etc. Relaxation means that the threshold value is adjusted so that the conditions are not easily met.

[0080] As described above, by the determination unit 142 taking into account the state of the direction indicator, the intended action of the vehicle can be determined or estimated with higher accuracy.

[0081] <Other> In the above example, the first determination method or the second determination method is used depending on the speed. However, instead, it may be determined that another vehicle is entering the target lane when the conditions of both the first determination method and the second determination method are satisfied. In this case, it may be determined that another vehicle is entering the target lane when the turn signal indicates entering the target lane. Also, the first determination method or the second determination method may be used regardless of the speed. For example, the second determination method may be used when the speed is equal to or less than a threshold, and the first determination method may be used when the speed exceeds the threshold. Also, it may be determined that another vehicle is entering the target lane when the conditions of either the first determination method or the second determination method are satisfied, regardless of the speed.

[0082] Furthermore, in addition to the first and second determination methods, a third determination method may be used. For example, the first determination method may be used at low speeds, the third determination method may be used at medium speeds, and the second determination method may be used at high speeds. The third determination method need not completely match the conditions of the first determination method or the second determination method. The third determination method may, for example, satisfy conditions (A)-(C) of the first determination method and conditions (a) and (b) of the second determination method, or may satisfy either one of the conditions of the first determination method or the second determination method. In addition to the above, the third determination method may also satisfy one or more of the conditions of the first determination method or the second determination method. The third determination method may also include a condition in which the threshold value of the condition of the first determination method or the second determination method is changed.

[0083] According to the embodiment described above, the control device can accurately determine whether another vehicle will enter the second lane adjacent to the first lane from the first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling, and can control the vehicle taking into account the surrounding conditions based on the results of the determination.

[0084] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage device storing a program; a hardware processor; The hardware processor executes the program stored in the storage device, Acquiring the speed and position of the other vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from among a plurality of determination methods; applying the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; Controlling the vehicle based on the result of the determination. The control device is configured as follows.

[0085] 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]

[0086] 10 Camera 12 Radar equipment 14 LIDAR 16 Object recognition device 80 Driving controls 100 Automatic driving control device 120 First Control Section 130 Recognition part 140 Action Plan Generation Unit 142 Judgment section 200 Driving force output device 210 Brake equipment 220 Steering device

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires the speed and position of another vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from a plurality of determination methods each having a different determination content; a determination unit that applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; a control unit that controls the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit; A control device comprising:

2. an acquisition unit that acquires the speed and position of another vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from among a plurality of determination methods; a determination unit that applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; a control unit that controls the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, The determination unit If the speed of the other vehicle is less than a threshold value, a first determination method is selected from the plurality of determination methods; If the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold, a second determination method is selected from the plurality of determination methods; the first determination method includes a direction of the other vehicle with respect to the second lane as a determination criterion; the second determination method does not include a direction of the other vehicle with respect to the second lane as a determination criterion; Control device.

3. an acquisition unit that acquires the speed and position of another vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from among a plurality of determination methods; a determination unit that applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; a control unit that controls the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, The determination unit If the speed of the other vehicle is less than a threshold value, a first determination method is selected from the plurality of determination methods; If the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold, a second determination method is selected from the plurality of determination methods; the first determination method includes a distance from a center of gravity of the other vehicle to a road dividing line that divides the first lane and the second lane as a determination criterion; the second determination method does not include a distance from the center of gravity of the other vehicle to a road dividing line that separates the first lane and the second lane in the determination criteria. Control device.

4. the determination unit determines, in the first determination method, that the other vehicle will change lanes to the second lane when a state in which an orientation of the other vehicle with respect to the second lane satisfies a criterion and a distance from a center of gravity of the other vehicle to a road dividing line that separates the first lane and the second lane satisfies a criterion has elapsed for a first time; The control unit inhibits the vehicle from changing lanes to the second lane. The control device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. an acquisition unit that acquires the speed and position of another vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from among a plurality of determination methods; a determination unit that applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; a control unit that controls the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, The determination unit If the speed of the other vehicle is less than a threshold value, a first determination method is selected from the plurality of determination methods; If the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold, a second determination method is selected from the plurality of determination methods; the first determination method does not include a distance from an end point of the other vehicle to a road dividing line that divides the first lane and the second lane as a determination criterion; the second determination method includes a distance from an end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line as a determination criterion; Control device.

6. the determination unit determines, in the second determination method, that the other vehicle will change lanes to the second lane if a change in the distance from the end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line over a predetermined time period tends to become shorter at a rate equal to or greater than a threshold and the distance is equal to or less than a threshold; The control unit inhibits the vehicle from changing lanes to the second lane. The control device according to claim 5 .

7. an acquisition unit that acquires the speed and position of another vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from among a plurality of determination methods; a determination unit that applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; a control unit that controls the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, The determination unit If the speed of the other vehicle is less than a threshold value, a first determination method is selected from the plurality of determination methods; If the speed of the other vehicle is equal to or greater than a threshold, a second determination method is selected from the plurality of determination methods; the first determination method includes, as a determination criterion, an orientation of the other vehicle with respect to the second lane and a distance from a center of gravity of the other vehicle to a road dividing line that divides the first lane and the second lane, but does not include, as a determination criterion, a distance from an end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line; the second determination method includes a distance from an end point of the other vehicle to the road dividing line as a determination criterion, and does not include an orientation of the other vehicle with respect to the second lane and a distance from a center of gravity of the other vehicle to the road dividing line that divides the first lane and the second lane as a determination criterion. Control device.

8. an acquisition unit that acquires the speed and position of another vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from among a plurality of determination methods; a determination unit that applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; a control unit that controls the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, The determination unit If the road corresponding to the first lane and the second lane is not a curved road with a curve of a predetermined degree or more, determining whether the other vehicle will enter the second lane using a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle; When a road corresponding to the first lane and the second lane is a curved road with a predetermined degree or more, a determination as to whether the other vehicle will enter the second lane is not made using a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle. Control device.

9. an acquisition unit that acquires the speed and position of another vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from among a plurality of determination methods; a determination unit that applies the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; a control unit that controls the vehicle based on the determination result of the determination unit, The control unit When the vehicle is in a third lane adjacent to the second lane and not adjacent to the first lane, and when the vehicle approaches a target zone for changing lanes from the third lane to the second lane, if the other vehicle is entering the second lane ahead of a reference position of the vehicle, the vehicle is caused to change lanes to the second lane behind the other vehicle without taking into consideration the determination result of a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle. Control device.

10. The computer Acquiring the speed and position of the other vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from a plurality of determination methods each having a different determination content; applying the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; Controlling the vehicle based on the result of the determination. Control method.

11. On the computer, acquiring the speed and position of another vehicle; selecting a determination method according to the speed of the other vehicle from a plurality of determination methods which differ in the content of the determination itself; applying the position of the other vehicle to the selected determination method to determine whether the other vehicle will enter a second lane adjacent to the first lane from a first lane in which the other vehicle is traveling; Controlling the vehicle based on the result of the determination. program.

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