Vehicle display control device, vehicle, vehicle display control method and program

Abstract

To allow a user to recognize that, while inter-vehicle time control ACC is being executed, the inter-vehicle time control ACC being executed is operating normally.SOLUTION: A display control ECU acquires a vehicle speed of an own vehicle, an inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle which is traveling in front of an own vehicle 60 in a travel direction and is an object to be followed, and a specified value of an inter-vehicle time required for the own vehicle 60 to reach a position at which the preceding vehicle is present. Then, the display control ECU causes a bar graph 76 representing each of the specified value of the inter-vehicle time and the inter-vehicle distance to be displayed between a first icon 72 representing the own vehicle and a second icon 74 representing the preceding vehicle in a meter display 58. In the bar graph 76, the number of bars 78 included in the bar graph 76 is changed according to the specified value of the inter-vehicle time, and a total size of the bar graph 76 along a direction corresponding to the travel direction is changed according to the inter-vehicle distance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a technology in which a bar graph is displayed on a display unit as information regarding the distance between the vehicle and another vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, with the length of the bar along the extension direction of the road varying depending on the distance between the vehicles. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-189549 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] One type of adaptive cruise control (ACC) that allows a vehicle to follow another vehicle is an ACC (hereinafter referred to as "time headway control ACC") that controls the vehicle's travel so that the time required for the vehicle to reach the location of the other vehicle (time headway) is a specified value. In a time headway control ACC, the distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle changes depending on the vehicle speed. Therefore, if a bar graph whose length changes depending on the distance between the vehicles is displayed as in the technology of Patent Document 1, the user may feel uneasy about whether the time headway control ACC is operating normally.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above facts, and aims to provide a vehicle display control device, a vehicle, a vehicle display control method, and a vehicle display control program that allow a driver to recognize that the running vehicle headway time control ACC is operating normally when the vehicle headway time control ACC is being executed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the vehicle display control device includes an acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle speed of the host vehicle, the inter-vehicle distance from another vehicle traveling ahead of the host vehicle in the direction of travel, and at least one of a specified value and a detected value of the inter-vehicle time required for the host vehicle to reach a position where the other vehicle is located, and a display control unit that displays inter-vehicle information representing the specified value or detected value of the inter-vehicle time and the inter-vehicle distance at a position on the display unit corresponding to the forward side of a first icon representing the host vehicle in the direction of travel of the host vehicle.

[0007] In a first mode, inter-vehicle information representing a designated or detected value of inter-vehicle time and inter-vehicle distance is displayed on the display unit at a position corresponding to the front side in the traveling direction of the first icon representing the host vehicle. This allows the user to recognize that the inter-vehicle time (designated or detected value) represented by the inter-vehicle information has not changed even if the inter-vehicle distance changes with a change in vehicle speed when the inter-vehicle time control ACC is being executed, and allows the user to recognize that the inter-vehicle time control ACC being executed is operating normally.

[0008] In the second aspect, in the first aspect, the display control unit displays a group of partial figures arranged along a predetermined direction corresponding to the direction of travel as the vehicle-to-vehicle distance information, and changes the number of partial figures included in the group of figures according to a specified value or detected value of the vehicle-to-vehicle distance time.

[0009] In the second aspect, a group of partial figures is displayed in which the partial figures are arranged in a predetermined direction corresponding to the direction of travel, and the number of partial figures displayed is changed according to the specified or detected value of the inter-vehicle time, allowing the user to intuitively grasp the specified or detected value of the inter-vehicle time from the number of partial figures included in the group of figures.

[0010] In a third aspect, in the second aspect, the display control unit increases the number of partial graphics as the designated value or detected value of the inter-vehicle time increases.

[0011] According to the third aspect, when the specified or detected value of the inter-vehicle time changes, the user can intuitively grasp the direction of change in the specified or detected value of the inter-vehicle time from an increase or decrease in the number of partial figures.

[0012] In the fourth aspect, in the first aspect, the display control unit displays a group of figures in which partial figures are arranged along a predetermined direction corresponding to the direction of travel as the vehicle-to-vehicle distance information, and changes the overall size of the group of figures along the predetermined direction according to the vehicle-to-vehicle distance.

[0013] In the fourth aspect, a group of partial figures is displayed in which the partial figures are arranged along a predetermined direction corresponding to the direction of travel, and the overall size of the group of figures along the predetermined direction is changed according to the distance between vehicles, allowing the user to intuitively grasp the distance between vehicles from the overall size of the group of figures along the predetermined direction.

[0014] In a fifth aspect, in the fourth aspect, the display control unit increases the overall size of the group of figures along the predetermined direction as the inter-vehicle distance increases.

[0015] According to the fifth aspect, when the inter-vehicle distance changes, the user can intuitively grasp the direction of the change in the inter-vehicle distance from the change in the overall size of the group of figures along the predetermined direction.

[0016] In a sixth aspect, in the first aspect, the display control unit displays a second icon representing the other vehicle at a position on the display unit according to the inter-vehicle distance.

[0017] In the sixth aspect, a second icon representing another vehicle is displayed at a position on the display unit according to the inter-vehicle distance, thereby enabling the user to more clearly recognize that the display on the display unit is a simulation of the situation in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0018] A vehicle according to a seventh aspect includes a vehicle display control device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, a reception unit that receives a specified value for the inter-vehicle time, and a driving control unit that controls the driving of the vehicle so that the detected value of the inter-vehicle time corresponds to the specified value for the inter-vehicle time.

[0019] According to the seventh aspect, similarly to the first aspect, when the time headway control ACC is being executed, the user can be made aware that the time headway control ACC being executed is operating normally.

[0020] A display control method for a vehicle according to an eighth aspect includes acquiring the vehicle speed of the host vehicle, the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle traveling ahead of the host vehicle in the direction of travel, and at least one of a specified value and a detected value of the inter-vehicle time required for the host vehicle to reach a position where the other vehicle is located, and displaying inter-vehicle information representing the specified or detected value of the inter-vehicle time and the inter-vehicle distance at a position on a display unit corresponding to the forward side of a first icon representing the host vehicle in the direction of travel of the host vehicle.

[0021] According to the eighth aspect, similarly to the first aspect, when the time headway control ACC is being executed, the user can be made aware that the time headway control ACC being executed is operating normally.

[0022] A ninth aspect of the vehicle display control program causes a computer to execute processing including acquiring the vehicle speed of the host vehicle, the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle traveling ahead of the host vehicle in the direction of travel, and at least one of a specified value and a detected value of the inter-vehicle time required for the host vehicle to reach a location where the other vehicle is located, and displaying inter-vehicle information representing the specified value or detected value of the inter-vehicle time and the inter-vehicle distance at a position on the display unit corresponding to the forward side of a first icon representing the host vehicle in the direction of travel of the host vehicle.

[0023] According to the ninth aspect, similarly to the first aspect, when the time headway control ACC is being executed, the user can be made aware that the time headway control ACC being executed is operating normally. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] The present disclosure has an effect of making it possible, when the time headway control ACC is being executed, to recognize that the time headway control ACC being executed is operating normally. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an in-vehicle system according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an autonomous driving ECU and a display control ECU. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a conversion table of inter-vehicle time-to-inter-vehicle distance. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing a display control process executed by a display control ECU. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing an example of the display on the display unit when the inter-vehicle time control ACC is being executed. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing an example of the display on the display unit when the inter-vehicle time control ACC is being executed. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing a state in which the icon indicating the leading vehicle and the bar graph are separated from each other. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing a state in which an icon indicating a leading vehicle and a bar graph are overlapped. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an in-vehicle system 10 mounted on a vehicle 60. The in-vehicle system 10 includes a communication bus 12, to which a group of surrounding condition acquisition devices 14, a group of vehicle driving state detection sensors 26, an ACC switch 62, an autonomous driving ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 34, and a display control ECU 42 are connected. Note that Fig. 1 shows only a part of the in-vehicle system 10. In the following, the vehicle 60 mounted with the in-vehicle system 10 will be referred to as the host vehicle 60. The host vehicle 60 is an example of a vehicle according to the present disclosure.

[0027] The group of surrounding condition acquisition devices 14 includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) device 16, an in-vehicle communication device 18, a navigation system 20, a radar device 22, and a camera 24, etc., as devices that acquire information indicating the situation of the surrounding environment of the vehicle 60.

[0028] The GNSS device 16 receives GNSS signals from multiple GNSS satellites to determine the position of the vehicle 60. The in-vehicle communication device 18 is a communication device that performs at least one of vehicle-to-vehicle communication with other vehicles and road-to-vehicle communication with roadside devices. The navigation system 20 includes a map information storage unit 20A that stores map information, and performs processing to display the position of the vehicle 60 on a map and provide route guidance to a destination based on the position information obtained from the GNSS device 16 and the map information stored in the map information storage unit 20A.

[0029] The radar device 22 detects objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles around the host vehicle 60 as point cloud information, and acquires the relative position and relative speed of the detected objects and the host vehicle 60. Furthermore, the radar device 22 excludes noise, roadside objects such as guardrails, etc. from monitoring targets based on changes in the relative position and relative speed of each object included in the most recent multiple detection results, and tracks and monitors specific objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles as monitoring target objects. The radar device 22 then outputs information such as the relative position and relative speed of each monitoring target object. The camera 24 captures the surroundings of the host vehicle 60 with multiple cameras and outputs the captured images.

[0030] In addition, the vehicle driving state detection sensor group 26 includes multiple sensors that acquire the driving state of the host vehicle 60, such as a steering angle sensor 28 that detects the steering angle of the host vehicle 60, a vehicle speed sensor 30 that detects the driving speed of the host vehicle 60, and an acceleration sensor 32 that detects the acceleration applied to the host vehicle 60.

[0031] The ACC switch 62 is a switch that can switch on / off the inter-vehicle time control ACC and set a specified inter-vehicle time value in the inter-vehicle time control ACC. The ACC switch 62 may be a physical switch or a virtual switch.

[0032] The automatic driving ECU 34 is connected to a throttle ACT 36 that changes the throttle opening of the host vehicle 60 and a brake ACT 38 that changes the braking force generated by the braking device of the host vehicle 60. The automatic driving ECU 34 is also connected to a steering ACT 40 that changes the steering amount by the steering device of the host vehicle 60. The automatic driving ECU 34 is an ECU that performs automatic driving processing to cause the host vehicle 60 to travel automatically without any driving operation by the occupant of the host vehicle 60. An example of the automatic driving processing is a headway time control ACC.

[0033] The autonomous driving ECU 34 includes a central processing unit (CPU), memories such as read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM), non-volatile storage units such as hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid state drives (SSDs), and a communication interface (I / F). The storage units store autonomous driving software. The autonomous driving ECU 34 functions as a reception unit 64 and a driving control unit 66 shown in FIG. 2 by the CPU executing the autonomous driving software.

[0034] The reception unit 64 receives the designated value of the time gap in the time gap control ACC, which is set via the ACC switch 62. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 3 as an example, the time gap levels are divided into four levels: "large," "medium," "small," and "minimum," and the reception unit 64 receives information indicating which of the four levels has been designated as the designated value of the time gap.

[0035] When the inter-vehicle time control ACC is turned on via the ACC switch 62, the traveling control unit 66 controls the traveling of the host vehicle 60 so that the detected value of the inter-vehicle time with another vehicle traveling ahead in the traveling direction of the host vehicle 60 (hereinafter referred to as the "preceding vehicle to be followed") corresponds to the specified value of the inter-vehicle time accepted by the accepting unit 64. In detail, the inter-vehicle time control ACC controls the traveling of the host vehicle 60 so that the host vehicle 60 follows the preceding vehicle to be followed by controlling the throttle ACT36, the brake ACT38 and the steering ACT40 based on information obtained from the surrounding condition acquisition device group 14 and the vehicle traveling state detection sensor group 26 so that the detected value of the inter-vehicle time with the preceding vehicle to be followed corresponds to the specified value of the inter-vehicle time set via the accepting unit 64.

[0036] Note that controlling the detected value of the time interval between the vehicle ahead to be followed so that it corresponds to the specified value of the time interval can be achieved, for example, by the following control. That is, the relationship between the specified value of the time interval between vehicles and the inter-vehicle distance is defined in advance for each vehicle speed, for example, in a conversion table shown in FIG. 3, and this conversion table is used to determine the target value of the inter-vehicle distance (an example of the specified value of the time interval) that corresponds to the vehicle speed and the specified value of the time interval between vehicles. Then, the detected value of the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle ahead to be followed (an example of the detected value of the time interval) may be controlled so that it matches the target value of the inter-vehicle distance.

[0037] A head-up display (hereinafter referred to as HUD) 56 and a meter display 58 are connected to the display control ECU 42. The display control ECU 42 is an ECU that controls the display of information on the HUD 56 and the meter display 58. The HUD 56 according to this embodiment is a small HUD that displays a part of the forward field of view of the occupants of the vehicle 60 (forming an image at the bottom of the foreground) by reflection on the windshield glass or the like. The meter display 58 is a display provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle 60.

[0038] The display control ECU 42 also includes a CPU 44, a memory 46 such as a ROM or RAM, a non-volatile storage unit 48 such as an HDD or SSD, and a communication I / F 50. The CPU 44, the memory 46, the storage unit 48, and the communication I / F 50 are communicably connected to one another via an internal bus 52. A display control program 54 is stored in the storage unit 48 of the display control ECU 42. The display control program 54 is read from the storage unit 48 and loaded into the memory 46, and the CPU 44 executes the display control program 54 loaded in the memory 46, whereby the display control ECU 42 functions as the acquisition unit 68 and the display control unit 70 shown in FIG. 2 and performs a display control process (FIG. 4) described below. The display control program 54 is an example of a vehicular display control program according to the present disclosure.

[0039] The acquisition unit 68 acquires the vehicle speed of the vehicle 60 from the vehicle speed sensor 30, acquires the inter-vehicle distance to another vehicle (a preceding vehicle to be followed) traveling ahead in the direction of travel of the vehicle 60 from the radar device 22, and acquires a specified value of the inter-vehicle time to the other vehicle from the ACC switch 62.

[0040] The display control unit 70 causes the meter display 58 to display a first icon representing the host vehicle 60, and also causes the meter display 58 to display inter-vehicle information representing a designated value of the inter-vehicle time with the other vehicle and an inter-vehicle distance with the other vehicle at a position on the meter display 58 that corresponds to the forward side of the first icon representing the host vehicle 60 in the traveling direction of the host vehicle 60. The display control ECU 42 is an example of a vehicle display control device according to the present disclosure, and the meter display 58 is an example of a display unit according to the present disclosure.

[0041] Next, as an operation of this embodiment, a display control process executed by the display control ECU 42 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. This display control process is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals by the display control ECU 42. In step 100 of the display control process, the display control unit 70 displays a first icon 72 (Figs. 5 and 6) representing the host vehicle 60 at a predetermined position within the display area of ​​the meter display 58, and also displays information such as vehicle speed and time within the display area of ​​the meter display 58.

[0042] In step 102, the display control unit 70 determines whether the time headway control ACC is being executed by the automatic driving ECU 34, based on whether the time headway control ACC is turned on via the ACC switch 62. If the determination in step 102 is negative, the display control process ends. On the other hand, if the time headway control ACC is being executed by the automatic driving ECU 34, the determination in step 102 is positive, and the process proceeds to step 104.

[0043] In step 104, the acquisition unit 68 acquires the vehicle speed of the vehicle 60 from the vehicle speed sensor 30, acquires the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle to be followed from the radar device 22, and acquires the specified inter-vehicle time value from the ACC switch 62.

[0044] In step 106, the display control unit 70 displays a second icon 74 (see FIGS. 5 and 6 ) representing the preceding vehicle to be followed in a position corresponding to the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle to be followed in the display area of ​​the meter display 58, with a size corresponding to the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle to be followed. Note that FIG. 5 shows, as an example, the display on the meter display 58 when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 60 is "100", and FIG. 6 shows, as an example, the display on the meter display 58 when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 60 is "50". As is clear from comparing FIG. 5 with FIG. 6 , as the inter-vehicle distance from the host vehicle 60 increases, the size of the second icon 74 decreases and the second icon 74 is displayed at a position farther away from the first icon 72.

[0045] 5 and 6, as an example of inter-vehicle information indicating the specified value of the inter-vehicle time and the inter-vehicle distance, a bar graph 76 is displayed on the meter display 58, which is configured by one or more bars 78 extending in a first direction corresponding to the width direction of the host vehicle 60 and arranged along a second direction corresponding to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 60. Note that the bar graph 76 is an example of a graphic group in the present disclosure, and each bar 78 included in the bar graph 76 is an example of a partial graphic in the present disclosure.

[0046] In step 108, the display control unit 70 sets the number of bars 78 included in the bar graph 76 to be displayed on the meter display 58 in accordance with the specified value of the time inter-vehicle interval from the vehicle ahead that is being followed. In this embodiment, the time inter-vehicle interval is divided into four levels: "large," "medium," "small," and "minimum." Therefore, for example, when the specified value of the time inter-vehicle interval is "large," the number of bars 78 included in the bar graph 76 can be "4," when the specified value of the time inter-vehicle interval is "medium," the number of bars 78 included in the bar graph 76 can be "3," when the specified value of the time inter-vehicle interval is "small," the number of bars 78 included in the bar graph 76 can be "2," and when the specified value of the time inter-vehicle interval is "minimum," the number of bars 78 included in the bar graph 76 can be "1."

[0047] In the next step 110, the display control unit 70 sets the size S (see FIGS. 5 and 6) of the entire bar graph 76 along the second direction corresponding to the traveling direction in accordance with the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle that is being followed. Specifically, the size S of the entire bar graph 76 is increased as the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle that is being followed increases.

[0048] In step 112, the display control unit 70 sets the width W (see FIGS. 5 and 6 , the size along the second direction corresponding to the direction of travel) of each bar 78 included in the bar graph 76 in accordance with the overall size of the bar graph 76 along the second direction corresponding to the direction of travel. Specifically, the width W of each bar 78 included in the bar graph 76 is increased as the overall size S of the bar graph 76 increases.

[0049] Then, in step 114, the display control unit 70 displays the bar graph 76, the size of which has been set in steps 108 to 122, in the display area of ​​the meter display 58, in front of the first icon 72 in the traveling direction of the host vehicle 60 (between the first icon 72 and the second icon 74). After the processing of step 114 is performed, the display control processing ends.

[0050] As described above, in this embodiment, the display control ECU 42 functions as the acquisition unit 68 and the display control unit 70. The acquisition unit 68 acquires the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 60, the inter-vehicle distance from another vehicle traveling ahead of the host vehicle 60 in the direction of travel, and a designated value of the inter-vehicle time required for the host vehicle 60 to reach the location of the other vehicle. The display control unit 70 then displays inter-vehicle information (bar graph 76) representing the designated value of the inter-vehicle time and the inter-vehicle distance in a position on the meter display 58 that corresponds to the forward side of the first icon 72 representing the host vehicle 60 in the direction of travel of the host vehicle 60. This allows the user to recognize that the designated value of the inter-vehicle time represented by the inter-vehicle information has not changed, even if the inter-vehicle distance changes in accordance with a change in vehicle speed when the autonomous driving ECU 34 is executing the inter-vehicle time control ACC, and allows the user to recognize that the inter-vehicle time control ACC being executed is operating normally.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display control unit 70 displays, as inter-vehicle information, a group of figures (bar graphs 76) in which partial figures (bars 78) are arranged in a predetermined direction corresponding to the traveling direction, and changes the number of partial figures (bars 78) included in the group of figures (bar graphs 76) according to the specified value of the inter-vehicle time. This allows the user to intuitively grasp the specified value of the inter-vehicle time from the number of partial figures (bars 78) included in the group of figures (bar graphs 76).

[0052] In this embodiment, the display control unit 70 increases the number of partial graphics (bars 78) as the specified value of the time headway increases, thereby enabling the user to intuitively grasp the direction of change in the specified value of the time headway when the specified value of the time headway changes, from an increase or decrease in the number of partial graphics (bars 78).

[0053] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display control unit 70 displays, as inter-vehicle information, a group of figures (bar graphs 76) in which partial figures (bars 78) are arranged along a predetermined direction corresponding to the traveling direction, and changes the overall size of the group of figures (bar graphs 76) along the predetermined direction in accordance with the inter-vehicle distance, thereby allowing the user to intuitively grasp the inter-vehicle distance from the overall size of the group of figures (bar graphs 76) along the predetermined direction.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display control unit 70 increases the overall size of the group of figures (bar graphs 76) along the predetermined direction as the inter-vehicle distance increases, thereby enabling the user to intuitively grasp the direction of change in inter-vehicle distance when the inter-vehicle distance changes from the change in the overall size of the group of figures (bar graphs 76) along the predetermined direction.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display control unit 70 displays the second icon 74 representing the other vehicle at a position corresponding to the inter-vehicle distance on the meter display 58. This allows the user to more clearly recognize that the display on the meter display 58 is a display simulating the situation in the traveling direction of the host vehicle 60.

[0056] Consider a case where, while the time gap control ACC is being executed, a second icon 74 representing a preceding vehicle to be followed is displayed at a position corresponding to the distance between the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle 60, and a bar graph 90 representing a designated value of the time gap is displayed between the first icon 72 and the second icon representing the subject vehicle. In this case, since the distance between the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle 60 changes depending on the vehicle speed, depending on the change in vehicle speed, the bar graph 90 and the second icon 74 may move apart, creating a gap, as shown in Fig. 7, or the bar graph 90 and the second icon 74 may overlap as shown in Fig. 8. The display states shown in Figs. 7 and 8 may cause anxiety and confusion to the user.

[0057] In contrast, in this embodiment, a bar graph 76 representing the specified value of the time gap and the inter-vehicle distance is displayed between the first icon 72 and the second icon, and the number of bars 78 included in the bar graph 76 is changed according to the specified value of the time gap, and the overall size of the bar graph 76, which is aligned along the direction corresponding to the traveling direction, is changed according to the inter-vehicle distance. This prevents the aforementioned gap from occurring between the second icon and the bar graph 76 or the second icon and the bar graph 76 from overlapping, thereby preventing anxiety and confusion for the user. Furthermore, the user can intuitively recognize that the number of bars 78 corresponds to the specified value of the time gap and that the overall size of the bar graph 76 corresponds to the inter-vehicle distance, which effectively assists the user in recognizing the situation of their own vehicle and the vehicle ahead.

[0058] Furthermore, the vehicle 60 according to this embodiment includes a display control ECU 42 that functions as the acquisition unit 68 and display control unit 70 described above, and an autonomous driving ECU 34 that functions as the reception unit 64 and cruise control unit 66. The reception unit 64 receives the specified value of the time headway. The cruise control unit 66 controls the cruise of the host vehicle 60 so that the detected value of the time headway corresponds to the specified value of the time headway. This allows the user to recognize that the running time headway control ACC is operating normally when the autonomous driving ECU 34 is executing the time headway control ACC.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the inter-vehicle time level is divided into four levels, "large," "medium," "small," and "smallest," and the specified inter-vehicle time value is selected from these four levels. However, the number of inter-vehicle time level divisions may be three or less or five or more. The specified inter-vehicle time value may also be information that specifies the inter-vehicle time as a numerical value.

[0060] In the above embodiment, as an example of inter-vehicle information in the present disclosure, a mode has been described in which bar graphs 76 representing specified values ​​of inter-vehicle distance and inter-vehicle time, respectively, are displayed on the display unit (meter display 58). However, the inter-vehicle information in the present disclosure may be information representing a detected inter-vehicle time value instead of a specified inter-vehicle time value. In this case, the detected inter-vehicle time value can be derived from the vehicle speed and the detected inter-vehicle distance from the following preceding vehicle using the relationship between the inter-vehicle distance from the following preceding vehicle and the detected inter-vehicle time value, which is specified for each vehicle speed using a conversion table such as that shown in FIG. 3 or an arithmetic formula.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the display unit displays bar graphs 76 each representing a specified value of inter-vehicle distance and inter-vehicle time as an example of inter-vehicle information in the present disclosure. However, the inter-vehicle information in the present disclosure is not limited to bar graphs 76, and may be, for example, information that numerically represents the detected or specified values ​​of inter-vehicle distance and inter-vehicle time.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the second icon 74, which represents the preceding vehicle to be followed, is displayed on the meter display 58 when the time headway control ACC is being executed by the autonomous driving ECU 34. However, in the present disclosure, it is not essential to display the second icon 74 on the display unit, and a configuration in which the display of the second icon 74 is omitted is also within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the meter display 58 is used as an example of a display unit in the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the display unit in the present disclosure may be, for example, the HUD 56 or a display provided on a center console in the vehicle cabin.

[0064] In addition, in the above embodiment, a configuration was described in which the display control program 54, which is an example of a vehicle display control program according to the present disclosure, is pre-stored (installed) in the memory unit 48, but the vehicle display control program according to the present disclosure can also be provided in a form recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as an HDD, SSD, or DVD. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 10 In-Vehicle Systems 34 Autonomous Driving ECU 42 Display control ECU 54 Display Control Program 58 Meter display (display unit) 60 vehicles 62 ACC switch 64 Reception Department 66 Travel control unit 68 Acquisition Department 70 Display control unit 72 First Icon 74 Second Icon 76 Bar Graph 78 Bar

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires a vehicle speed of the host vehicle, a vehicle distance to another vehicle traveling ahead in the traveling direction of the host vehicle, and at least one of a designated value and a detected value of a vehicle-to-vehicle time required for the host vehicle to reach a position where the other vehicle is present; a display control unit that displays inter-vehicle information representing the designated value or detected value of the inter-vehicle time and the inter-vehicle distance at a position on the display unit corresponding to a forward side in a traveling direction of the host vehicle of a first icon representing the host vehicle; A display control device for a vehicle including:

2. 2. The display control device for a vehicle as described in claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays a group of partial figures arranged along a predetermined direction corresponding to the direction of travel as the vehicle distance information, and changes the number of partial figures included in the group of figures depending on a specified value or detected value of the vehicle distance time.

3. 3. The display control device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the display control unit increases the number of the partial graphics as the designated value or the detected value of the inter-vehicle time increases.

4. 2. The vehicle display control device according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays a group of figures in which partial figures are arranged along a predetermined direction corresponding to the direction of travel as the vehicle distance information, and changes the overall size of the group of figures along the predetermined direction according to the vehicle distance.

5. The display control device for a vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the display control unit increases the overall size of the group of figures along the predetermined direction as the inter-vehicle distance increases.

6. The vehicular display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the display control unit displays a second icon representing the other vehicle at a position on the display unit according to the inter-vehicle distance.

7. A vehicle display control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a receiving unit that receives the designated value of the inter-vehicle time; a travel control unit that controls the travel of the host vehicle so that the detected value of the inter-vehicle time corresponds to the designated value of the inter-vehicle time; Vehicles including.

8. acquires a vehicle speed of the host vehicle, a vehicle distance to another vehicle traveling ahead in the traveling direction of the host vehicle, and at least one of a designated value and a detected value of a time interval required for the host vehicle to reach a position where the other vehicle is located; and displaying inter-vehicle information representing the designated or detected value of the inter-vehicle time and the inter-vehicle distance at a position on the display unit corresponding to the forward side of a first icon representing the host vehicle in the traveling direction of the host vehicle. A vehicle display control method for causing a computer to execute a process including the steps of:

9. On the computer, acquires a vehicle speed of the host vehicle, a vehicle distance to another vehicle traveling ahead in the traveling direction of the host vehicle, and at least one of a designated value and a detected value of a time interval required for the host vehicle to reach a position where the other vehicle is located; and displaying inter-vehicle information representing the designated or detected value of the inter-vehicle time and the inter-vehicle distance at a position on the display unit corresponding to the forward side of a first icon representing the host vehicle in the traveling direction of the host vehicle. A display control program for a vehicle for executing a process including the above.

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