Vehicle display device, display method, and program

Abstract

To obtain a vehicle display device which can provide a sense of safety to an occupant when a lane change is made.SOLUTION: A vehicle display device 10 includes: a first display part 24 provided in a passenger compartment of a vehicle; and a control unit which causes the display part to display a lane display which is an image corresponding to a first lane in which a vehicle travels and a second lane to which the vehicle is moved after a lane change, and a first confirmation display indicating start of acquisition of peripheral information including a situation of the second lane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 listed below describes a vehicle display device that displays information about lane changes when a lane change is performed by automatic driving (driving control) of the vehicle. This vehicle display device displays an image such as an arrow indicating the direction from the lane currently being driven to the lane to which the vehicle is to change, and displays the arrow image in different forms before and after the start of the lane change. This allows the occupant to know the lane to which the lane will be changed, the state before the lane change is started, and the state after the lane change is started. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-044988 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 does not allow the occupants to know whether the vehicle is aware of the lane conditions ahead, which can cause the occupants to feel uneasy during lane changes.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide a vehicle display device that can give occupants a sense of security when changing lanes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle display device according to claim 1 includes a display unit provided in a vehicle cabin, and a display indicating that acquisition of surrounding information including lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes and a situation of the second lane is to be started. Consists of only graphics and no text and a control unit that causes the display unit to display a first confirmation display.

[0007] In the vehicle display device according to claim 1, a display unit is provided in a vehicle cabin. The vehicle display device also has a control unit. The control unit causes the display unit to display a lane display corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane into which the vehicle will change lanes, as well as a first confirmation display indicating that acquisition of surrounding information including the status of the second lane will begin. By viewing the first confirmation display, the occupant can thereby understand that the vehicle is acquiring surrounding information before changing lanes, providing a sense of security.

[0008] Autonomous driving refers to a mode of driving in which some or all of the operations of the accelerator, brake, turn signal, steering, etc. are performed automatically.

[0009] The vehicle display device according to claim 2 includes a display unit provided in a vehicle cabin, and a display device that displays lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, and a target position of the vehicle after the lane change, and The image showing the second lane is a graphic image only, without any text. and a control unit that causes the display unit to display a second confirmation display.

[0010] In the vehicle display device according to claim 2, a second confirmation display showing the target position after the vehicle changes lanes is displayed together with the lane display. Therefore, by looking at the second confirmation display, the occupant can understand that the target position after the lane change has been confirmed by the vehicle, which gives the occupant a sense of security.

[0011] The vehicle display device according to claim 3 includes a display unit provided in a vehicle cabin, a display unit provided in a vehicle cabin, and a display unit that displays a lane corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, and a display unit that displays a lane change to a target position after the lane change of the vehicle. and consists of only a graphic without any image that represents the trajectory of the vehicle from the current position to the target position and a character.and a control unit that causes the display unit to display a third confirmation display.

[0012] The vehicle display device according to claim 3 displays a third confirmation display indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to the target position after changing lanes, along with the lane display. By viewing the third confirmation display, the occupant can understand that the vehicle is ready to change lanes, and can prepare for the lane change. This provides an even greater sense of security before changing lanes.

[0013] The vehicle display device of claim 4 is configured as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display at least one of a first confirmation display indicating that acquisition of surrounding information including the situation of the second lane will begin, a second confirmation display indicating the target position of the vehicle after changing lanes, and a third confirmation display indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to the target position after changing lanes, regardless of whether there is another vehicle other than the vehicle on the second lane.

[0014] In the vehicle display device according to claim 4, at least one of the first confirmation display, the second confirmation display, and the third confirmation display is displayed regardless of whether there is another vehicle in the second lane. Therefore, by looking at the display unit, the occupant can understand that the situation in the second lane is being confirmed regardless of the congestion of the road, which gives an even greater sense of security.

[0015] The vehicle display device according to claim 5 has the configuration described in claim 1, wherein after displaying the first confirmation display, the control unit causes the display unit to display a second confirmation display indicating a target position after the vehicle changes lanes.

[0016] In the vehicle display device according to claim 5, the second confirmation display is displayed after the first confirmation display, so that the occupant can see the progress of the vehicle determining the target position while checking the status of the lane into which the vehicle is about to change lanes by looking at the display unit.

[0017] The vehicle display device according to claim 6 has the configuration described in claim 5, and after displaying the first confirmation display, if the control unit obtains a determination based on the surrounding information that the vehicle can change lanes to a target position after the lane change, the control unit displays the second confirmation display based on the determination result.

[0018] In the vehicle display device according to claim 6, the second confirmation display is displayed when the target position is determined based on the peripheral information. Therefore, the vehicle display device can display the second confirmation display on the display unit after displaying the first confirmation display while reliably reflecting the control steps related to lane changes.

[0019] The vehicle display device of claim 7 has the configuration described in claim 2, wherein the control unit overlays an other vehicle display corresponding to a vehicle different from the vehicle on the second lane on the lane display, and displays the second confirmation display on the display unit in a non-overlapping position in front of or behind the other vehicle display.

[0020] In the vehicle display device according to claim 7, an other vehicle display corresponding to another vehicle in the second lane is displayed on the display unit superimposed on the lane display. Also, the second confirmation display is displayed in a position in front of or behind the other vehicle display so as not to overlap. This allows the occupant to understand by looking at the display unit that the target position after changing lanes has been confirmed by the vehicle, taking into account the presence of other vehicles, thereby providing a sense of security.

[0021] The vehicle display device according to claim 8 has the configuration described in claim 2, wherein after displaying the second confirmation display, the control unit causes the display unit to display a third confirmation display indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to a target position after the lane change.

[0022] In the vehicle display device according to claim 8, the third confirmation display is displayed after the second confirmation display, so that the occupant can see the progress of the vehicle checking the status of the lane to which the vehicle is changing lanes and whether it is possible to change lanes to the target position by looking at the display unit.

[0023] The vehicular display device of claim 9 has the configuration described in claim 8, wherein the control unit, after displaying the second confirmation display, acquires surrounding information including the situation of the second lane, and when a determination based on the surrounding information indicates that a lane change to the target position is possible, displays the third confirmation display based on the determination result.

[0024] In the vehicular display device according to claim 9, after displaying the second confirmation display, if the control unit acquires a determination result that the lane change to the target position is possible, the third confirmation display is displayed. Therefore, the vehicular display device can cause the display unit to display the third confirmation display after displaying the second confirmation display while reliably reflecting the control steps related to the lane change.

[0025] A vehicle display device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention has the configuration according to the eighth or ninth aspect, wherein the second confirmation mark and the third confirmation mark have different shapes.

[0026] The vehicle display device according to claim 10 displays the second confirmation display and the third confirmation display in different shapes, thereby allowing the occupant to intuitively understand the transition of control steps related to lane changes.

[0027] The vehicle display device of claim 11 has the configuration described in claim 3, wherein the second confirmation display is displayed on the display unit as a linear figure extending in the road width direction on the lane marking corresponding to the second lane, and the third confirmation display is displayed on the display unit as a planar figure having a predetermined area on the lane marking corresponding to the second lane.

[0028] In the vehicle display device according to claim 11, by displaying a linear figure extending in the road width direction on the lane marking corresponding to the second lane as the second confirmation display, it is possible to intuitively grasp that the target position after lane change has been confirmed by the vehicle. Furthermore, by displaying a planar figure having a predetermined area on the lane marking corresponding to the second lane as the third confirmation display, it is possible to intuitively grasp that the space for lane change has been confirmed by the vehicle.

[0029] The vehicle display device of claim 12 is configured as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display at least one of a first confirmation display indicating that acquisition of surrounding information including the situation of the second lane will begin, a second confirmation display indicating a target position after the vehicle has changed lanes, and a third confirmation display indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to the target position after the vehicle has changed lanes, and then, when the vehicle changes lanes to the second lane, deletes the first confirmation display, the second confirmation display, and the third confirmation display that are displayed, and causes the display unit to display an execution display indicating that the vehicle is changing lanes to the second lane.

[0030] In the vehicle display device according to claim 12, the occupant can see the execution display and understand that a lane change is being performed. As described above, the vehicle display device allows the occupant to gradually understand the process of checking the surrounding situation and the execution of the lane change as the vehicle changes lanes, and to understand the control steps involved in the lane change in detail. This gives the occupant a sense of security.

[0031] The vehicular display device according to claim 13 has the configuration described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display unit is at least one of a meter display of a meter display device provided in front of the driver's seat on an instrument panel, or a projection surface projected by a head-up display device above the meter display.

[0032] In the vehicle display device according to claim 13, the display unit is a meter display provided in front of the driver's seat or a projection surface above the vehicle of the meter display, so that the occupant in the driver's seat can check the display unit without moving their line of sight significantly. This allows the occupant to easily check both the scenery ahead of the vehicle and the vehicle control associated with lane changes, giving the occupant a greater sense of security.

[0033] The vehicle display device of claim 14 has the configuration described in claim 1, wherein the first confirmation display is an image that has a convex shape toward the second lane and appears to move from the first lane toward the second lane.

[0034] In the vehicle display device according to claim 14, an image of a shape that is convex toward the second lane is displayed as the first confirmation display, and the image appears to move from the first lane toward the second lane. This allows the user to intuitively understand that the vehicle has started acquiring peripheral information in the direction of the second lane, where the vehicle is to change lanes.

[0035] A vehicle display device according to claim 15 includes a display unit provided in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, and a control unit, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes, and a first confirmation indication consisting only of a graphic, without any text, indicating that acquisition of peripheral information including the status of the second lane will begin; after erasing the first confirmation indication from the display unit, causes the display unit to display lane indications corresponding to the first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the second lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes, and a second confirmation indication consisting only of a graphic, without any text, indicating a target position of the vehicle after the lane change and displayed only on an image representing the second lane; and after erasing the second confirmation indication from the display unit, causes the display unit to display a third confirmation indication consisting only of a graphic, without any text, indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to the target position after the lane change, and showing a trajectory of the vehicle from its current position to the target position, without any image. Claim 16 The display method according to the present invention displays, on a display unit provided in a vehicle cabin, lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, and a target position of the vehicle after the lane change. And the image representing the second lane consists of only a graphic image and no text. The computer executes a process of displaying a second confirmation display.

[0036] As described above, the display method according to claim 15 can give a sense of security to the occupants when a lane change is to be made.

[0037] Claim 17 The program displays, on a display unit provided in a vehicle cabin, lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, as well as a target position of the vehicle after the lane change. And the image representing the second lane consists of only a graphic image and no text. The computer executes a process of displaying a second confirmation display.

[0038] As described above, the program according to claim 16 can give a sense of security to the occupants when a lane change is to be made. [Effects of the Invention]

[0039] According to the present invention, it is possible to give a sense of security to the occupants when a lane change is to be made. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0040] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a front portion of a vehicle interior of a vehicle to which a vehicle display device according to an embodiment is applied, viewed from the rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a vehicle display device according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a vehicle display device according to an embodiment; [Figure 4] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating an example of a display on a first display unit as a display unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a first confirmation display displayed on a first display unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a second confirmation display displayed on the first display unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which the second confirmation display shown in FIG. 6 moves in accordance with the movement of the other vehicle display. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a third confirmation display displayed on the first display unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a planned driving route displayed on a first display unit. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of a display process according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a lane change display process according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] A vehicle 12 to which a vehicle display device 10 according to the embodiment is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. The vehicle 12 according to the embodiment is configured to be switchable between automatic driving and manual driving, as an example. Automatic driving is a driving mode of the vehicle in which some or all of the operations of the accelerator, brake, turn signal, steering, etc. are performed automatically. Manual driving is a driving mode of the vehicle in which the driver performs all driving operations (operations of the accelerator, brake, turn signal, steering, etc.). As shown in FIG. 1, an instrument panel 14 is provided at the front of the cabin of the vehicle 12.

[0042] The instrument panel 14 extends in the vehicle width direction, and a steering wheel 16 is provided on the right side of the instrument panel 14. That is, in this embodiment, as an example, the vehicle is a right-hand drive vehicle in which the steering wheel 16 is provided on the right side, and the driver's seat is located on the right side of the vehicle.

[0043] A windshield glass 18 is provided at the front end of the instrument panel 14. The windshield glass 18 extends in the vertical direction and the width direction of the vehicle, and separates the interior of the vehicle from the exterior of the vehicle.

[0044] The right end of the windshield glass 18 is fixed to a front pillar 20 on the right side of the vehicle. The front pillar 20 extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the windshield glass 18 is fixed to the inner end of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle width direction. In addition, the front ends of front side windows 22 are fixed to the outer end of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle width direction. The left end of the windshield glass 18 is fixed to a front pillar on the left side of the vehicle (not shown).

[0045] Here, the instrument panel 14 is provided with a first display unit 24 as a display unit. The first display unit 24 is configured as a meter display provided in front of the driver's seat on the instrument panel 14. The meter display constitutes part of a meter display device (not shown) that is connected to various meter devices mounted on the vehicle 12. The first display unit 24 is provided in a position that is within the field of view of the driver when the driver is looking forward toward the vehicle.

[0046] A second display unit 26 is provided on the windshield glass 18. The second display unit 26 is set above the first display unit 24, and is configured by a projection surface onto which an image is projected by a head-up display device 44 (see FIG. 2). Specifically, the head-up display device 44 is provided further forward than the instrument panel 14, and an image is projected from the head-up display device 44 onto the second display unit 26 on the windshield glass 18.

[0047] (Hardware configuration of the vehicle display device 10) The vehicle 12 is provided with an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 28 as a control unit. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the vehicle display device 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the ECU 28 of the vehicle display device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit: Processor) 30, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 32, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 34, a storage 36, a communication interface 38, and an input / output interface 40. Each component is connected to each other via a bus 42 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0048] The CPU 30 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each part. That is, the CPU 30 reads programs from the ROM 32 or storage 36 and executes the programs using the RAM 34 as a work area. The CPU 30 controls each of the above components and performs various arithmetic processing in accordance with the programs recorded in the ROM 32 or storage 36.

[0049] The ROM 32 stores various programs and various data. The RAM 34 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. The storage 36 is configured with an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) and stores various programs including an operating system and various data. In this embodiment, the ROM 32 or the storage 36 stores programs for performing display processing, various data, and the like.

[0050] The communication interface 38 is an interface for the vehicle display device 10 to communicate with a server and other devices (not shown), and uses standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), LTE, FDDI, and Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0051] A head-up display device 44 that projects images on the first display unit 24 and the second display unit 26, and an actuator 46 are connected to the input / output interface 40. The actuator 46 is configured to include a steering actuator, an accelerator actuator, and a brake actuator. The steering actuator steers the vehicle 12. The accelerator actuator accelerates the vehicle 12. The brake actuator controls the brakes to decelerate the vehicle 12. Sensors and a GPS device (not shown) for causing the vehicle 12 to travel automatically are also connected to the input / output interface 40.

[0052] (Functional configuration of the vehicle display device 10) The above hardware resources are used to realize various functions of the vehicle display device 10. The functional configuration realized by the vehicle display device 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0053] 3, the vehicle display device 10 includes, as functional components, a communication unit 50, an acquisition unit 51, an operation plan setting unit 52, an automatic driving control unit 54, an image generation unit 56, a display instruction unit 58, and a highlighting unit 60. Each functional component is realized by the CPU 30 reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 32 or the storage 36.

[0054] The communication unit 50 transmits and receives data to and from an external server and other devices via the communication interface 38. For example, the communication unit 50 transmits and receives map data stored in a server, traffic conditions, and other data. The communication unit 50 may also be configured to perform vehicle-to-vehicle communication with surrounding vehicles.

[0055] The acquisition unit 51 acquires surrounding information about the driving environment of the vehicle 12 from an external sensor (not shown) via the input / output interface 40. The external sensor includes a camera that captures an image of a predetermined range, a millimeter-wave radar that transmits a search wave within the predetermined range, and a lidar (Light Detection and Ranging / Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) that scans the predetermined range. Examples of the "surrounding information" include the width of the road on which the vehicle 12 is traveling, other vehicles traveling near the vehicle 12, obstacles, and the like.

[0056] The operation plan setting unit 52 sets an operation plan for the vehicle 12. Specifically, the operation plan setting unit 52 sets an operation plan from the current location to the destination by inputting the destination by the occupant.

[0057] The automatic driving control unit 54 automatically drives the vehicle 12 in accordance with the set operation plan while taking into consideration the position information and environmental information around the vehicle 12. Specifically, the automatic driving control unit 54 controls the actuator 46 to automatically drive the vehicle 12.

[0058] The image generation unit 56 generates an image to be displayed on the first display unit 24. Particularly in this embodiment, the image generation unit 56 displays a confirmation display on the first display unit 24 when the vehicle 12 is automatically driven to change lanes based on the operation plan set by the operation plan setting unit 52. The confirmation display is a display related to confirmation of the status of the lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes, and includes a first confirmation display P1, a second confirmation display P2, and a third confirmation display P3, which will be described later.

[0059] Furthermore, display instruction unit 58 has a function of displaying the image generated by image generation unit 56 on first display unit 24, and a function of deleting the image displayed on first display unit 24. The functions of image generation unit 56 and display instruction unit 58 will be described below with reference to Figs. 4 to 9.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 4, a lane indicator L related to road shape and lane information, a host vehicle indicator V1, and other vehicle indicators V2 and V3 are displayed in the center of the display area of ​​the first display unit 24. The lane indicator L is an image simulating the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling and lanes into which the host vehicle can change lanes. The host vehicle indicator V1 is an image simulating the host vehicle. The other vehicle indicators V2 and V3 are images simulating vehicles other than the host vehicle that are traveling around the host vehicle. From the display example of FIG. 4, the lane indicator L, the host vehicle indicator V1, and the other vehicle indicators V2 and V3 indicate that the host vehicle is traveling in the center lane of a three-lane road. In addition, it is possible to indicate that other vehicles are traveling diagonally to the right front of the host vehicle and in front of the host vehicle. The lane markings L, the vehicle's own vehicle marking V1, and the other vehicle marks V2 and V3 are displayed based on information detected by a GPS device, map data, and any one or a combination of various sensors mounted on the vehicle 12. For example, the position of the vehicle itself can be detected by a GPS device mounted on the vehicle 12. In addition, a combination of sensors such as a stereo camera, an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, and a laser radar is used to detect surrounding vehicles. In addition, the vehicle may be configured to be able to grasp the position of the vehicle itself and the positions of surrounding vehicles by performing vehicle-to-vehicle communication with surrounding vehicles.

[0061] Furthermore, in the center of the display area of ​​the first display unit 24, a planned driving route R of the vehicle is displayed superimposed on the lane markings L. The planned driving route R is an image that schematically shows the route of the vehicle 12 planned based on the operation plan set by the operation plan setting unit 52. As an example, the planned driving route R is a strip-shaped figure extending above the lane markings L, and a plurality of dots that show equidistant positions on the route in perspective are arranged along the center in the width direction.

[0062] Next, the confirmation displays that are displayed before the vehicle 12 changes lanes during autonomous driving will be described in detail with reference to Figures 5 to 8. These figures show, as an example, a case in which the vehicle is changing lanes from the center lane to the right lane of a three-lane road. In addition, in this embodiment, a first confirmation display P1, a second confirmation display P2, and a third confirmation display P3 are displayed as examples of the confirmation displays.

[0063] In FIG. 5, a first confirmation display P1 of the vehicle 12 is displayed by the image generation unit 56 when the vehicle 12 is scheduled to change lanes. The first confirmation display P1 is a display indicating that the vehicle 12 will start acquiring peripheral information including the status of the lane to which the vehicle 12 will change lanes (the right lane in FIG. 5). The first confirmation display P1 is displayed superimposed on lane displays L corresponding to the center lane and right lane in which the vehicle 12 is traveling. The first confirmation display P1 is an image imitating ripples spreading radially from a host vehicle display V1 in the center lane toward the right lane, and indicates that peripheral information on the right side of the host vehicle is being acquired, with the status of the right lane as the center lane. From the perspective of clearly indicating the direction of the lane change, the first confirmation display P1 is preferably an animation that moves from the host vehicle display V1 toward the right lane, but may also be a still image.

[0064] 6 and 7, the second confirmation display P2 of the vehicle 12 is displayed by the image generation unit 56. The second confirmation display P2 indicates the target position of the vehicle 12 after changing lanes. The target position after changing lanes is calculated by the autonomous driving control unit 54 based on surrounding information acquired by the acquisition unit 51. The image generation unit 56 displays the second confirmation display P2 at a corresponding position in the display area of ​​the first display unit 24 based on the information from the acquisition unit 51 and the autonomous driving control unit 54.

[0065] The second confirmation display P2 is displayed superimposed on the lane display L corresponding to the lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes, and is an image of a linear figure extending in the road width direction of the lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes. Triangular figures are arranged at both ends of the linear figure to emphasize the longitudinal ends of the linear figure. When another vehicle is traveling in the lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes, the second confirmation display P2 is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the other vehicle display corresponding to the other vehicle. Looking at the display examples in FIGS. 6 and 7, the target position after the lane change is behind the other vehicle display V3 traveling in the right lane diagonally forward to the right of the vehicle. The second confirmation display P2 is displayed behind the other vehicle display V3 in a position that does not overlap with the other vehicle display V3. Furthermore, when the other vehicle display V3 moves away (or approaches) relative to the vehicle display V1, the second confirmation display P2 is displayed to move in accordance with the movement of the other vehicle display V3. By setting the display in this manner, even if the lane to which the lane is to be changed is congested, the relationship between other vehicles traveling near the vehicle and the target position after the lane change can be displayed in an easily recognizable manner. In the display examples shown in Figures 6 and 7, the second confirmation display P2 is displayed behind the other vehicle display V3, but this is not limited to this. The second confirmation display may also be displayed in front of the other vehicle display V3. When the second confirmation display P2 is displayed on the first display unit 24, the first confirmation display P1 is deleted.

[0066] In FIG. 8, the image generator 56 displays a third confirmation display P3 for the vehicle 12. The third confirmation display P3 indicates that a lane change to the target position after the lane change is possible. The determination of whether a lane change to the target position is possible is performed by the autonomous driving control unit 54. The third confirmation display P3 is an image of a rectangular planar figure with its longitudinal direction aligned with the direction of the lane. The third confirmation display P3 is displayed in a manner that has a predetermined area in the shape of a lane mark L, thereby making it more noticeable on the first display unit 24 than the second confirmation display P2. This makes it easier for the occupant to visually recognize that the step-by-step confirmation process associated with a lane change is progressing. As shown in FIG. 8, a rectangular third confirmation display P3, the size of one vehicle display, is displayed behind the other vehicle display V3. This allows the occupant to intuitively recognize that space for the host vehicle to travel has been secured behind the other vehicle traveling in the right lane. When the third confirmation display P3 is displayed on the first display unit 24, the second confirmation display P2 is deleted.

[0067] As described above, before the vehicle 12 changes lanes, the first confirmation display P1, the second confirmation display P2, and the third confirmation display P3 are displayed on the first display unit 24. These display the occupants of the vehicle that the confirmation of the lane conditions before the lane change is being carried out in three steps: "start confirmation," "confirm the target position," and "confirm that the vehicle is maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles at the target position."

[0068] In Figure 9, when the vehicle 12 changes lanes, the image generation unit 56 displays a planned driving route R that indicates the driving route from the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to the lane to which the vehicle will change lanes. This planned driving route R corresponds to the "execution display" in the present invention. Looking at Figure 9, it can be seen that the planned driving route R curves from the center lane toward the right lane, and that the vehicle is changing lanes from the center lane to the right lane. Note that when the planned driving route R is displayed on the first display unit 24, all confirmation displays are deleted.

[0069] (action) Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

[0070] (Display processing) An example of a display process for displaying lane changes of the vehicle 12 based on an operation plan will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 10. This display process is executed by the CPU 30 reading a display program from the ROM 32 or the storage 36, expanding it in the RAM 34, and executing it.

[0071] 10, the CPU 30 determines whether or not a destination has been set in step S100. The destination may be input directly to the vehicle 12 by an occupant, or may be input indirectly via a mobile terminal or the like.

[0072] If the CPU 30 determines in step S100 that a destination has been set, the process proceeds to step S110. If the CPU 30 determines in step S100 that a destination has not been set, the display process ends.

[0073] In step S110, the CPU 30 sets an operation plan for the vehicle 12. Specifically, the CPU 30 sets an operation plan from the current location to the destination using the function of the operation plan setting unit 52. When setting the operation plan, information on traffic conditions and accidents may be acquired and reflected. In addition, the operation plan may be set so that more autonomous driving occurs in accordance with the passenger requests input in advance.

[0074] In step S120, the CPU 30 determines whether or not a lane change is occurring. Specifically, the CPU 30 determines, through the function of the operation plan setting unit 52, whether or not the vehicle 12 has passed a point where the distance to the target point for the lane change is within a predetermined distance.

[0075] If the CPU 30 determines in step S120 that a lane change has occurred, it proceeds to the process of step S130. If the CPU 30 determines in step S120 that a lane change has not occurred, it returns to step S120 and repeats the process.

[0076] In step S130, the CPU 30 executes a lane change display process to display various displays related to lane changes on the first display unit 24. This lane change display process is executed regardless of whether there is another vehicle in the lane to which the lane is to be changed. The lane change display process will be described in detail later.

[0077] In step S140, the CPU 30 determines whether or not the lane change has been completed. Specifically, the CPU 30 determines whether or not the lane change has been completed based on the function of the automatic driving control unit 54.

[0078] If the CPU 30 determines in step S140 that the lane change has been completed, it ends the display process. If the CPU 30 determines in step S140 that the lane change has not been completed, it returns to step S120 and repeats the process.

[0079] (Lane change display processing) Next, an example of the lane change display processing will be described with reference to Fig. 11. This lane change display processing is executed by the CPU 30 reading a display program from the ROM 32 or the storage 36, expanding it into the RAM 34, and executing it.

[0080] 11, in step S201, the CPU 30 acquires information about the vicinity of the vehicle 12. Specifically, the CPU 30 uses the function of the acquisition unit 51 to acquire information about the shape and width of the road on which the vehicle 12 is traveling, whether or not there is a lane into which the vehicle 12 can change lanes, the presence of other vehicles traveling near the vehicle 12, and the like.

[0081] In step S202, the CPU 30 displays a first confirmation display P1 on the first display unit 24. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 5 , the CPU 30 uses the functions of the image generation unit 56 and the display instruction unit 58 to display the first confirmation display P1 on the first display unit 24, superimposed on the host vehicle display V1, other vehicle displays V2 and V3, and lane display L, which indicate the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 12.

[0082] In step S203, the CPU 30 determines whether or not there is a target position after the vehicle 12 changes lanes. Specifically, the CPU 30 determines whether or not there is a predetermined space on the lane to which the vehicle 12 will change lanes, near the vehicle 12, using the functions of the acquisition unit 51 and the automatic driving control unit 54.

[0083] If the CPU 30 determines in step S203 that there is a target position, the process proceeds to step S204. If the CPU 30 determines in step S203 that there is no target position, the process returns to step S201 and repeats the process.

[0084] In step S204, CPU 30 activates a timer and proceeds to processing in step S205. In addition, in step S205, CPU 30 causes first display unit 24 to display second confirmation display P2. Specifically, CPU 30 causes first display unit 24 to display second confirmation display P2 at a position corresponding to the target position in the display area of ​​first display unit 24 through the functions of image generation unit 56 and display instruction unit 58. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, CPU 30 deletes first confirmation display P1 from first display unit 24 and displays second confirmation display P2 instead.

[0085] In step S206, CPU 30 determines whether or not vehicle 12 can change lanes to a predetermined target position. Specifically, CPU 30 determines, using the functions of acquisition unit 51 and automatic driving control unit 54, based on information about the surroundings of vehicle 12, whether or not there is sufficient space at the predetermined target position for vehicle 12 to change lanes. The space determined in step S206 is, for example, larger than the predetermined space determined in step S203 and has an area equal to or larger than the area of ​​one vehicle 12 in a plan view.

[0086] If the CPU 30 determines in step S206 that a lane change is possible, the process proceeds to step S208. If the CPU 30 determines in step S206 that a lane change is not possible, the process proceeds to step S207.

[0087] In step S207, the CPU 30 determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer was started in step S204.

[0088] If the CPU 30 determines in step S207 that the predetermined time has elapsed, it returns to step S203 to set a new target position and repeats the process. If the CPU 30 determines in step S207 that the predetermined time has not elapsed, it returns to step S205 and continues to display the second confirmation display P2 corresponding to the predetermined target position on the first display unit 24.

[0089] On the other hand, when the CPU 30 determines in step S206 that a lane change is possible and proceeds to step S208, it causes the third confirmation display P3 to be displayed on the first display unit 24. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 8, the CPU 30 uses the functions of the image generation unit 56 and the display instruction unit 58 to delete the second confirmation display P2 from above the lane marking L and display the third confirmation display P3 instead.

[0090] In step S209, the CPU 30 executes a lane change for the vehicle 12. Then, the CPU 30 proceeds to the process of step S210, and causes the first display unit 24 to display an execution display. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 9, the CPU 30 deletes the third confirmation display P3 from the first display unit 24, and causes the planned driving route R to be displayed as the execution display. The CPU 30 ends the process of step S210, and ends the lane change display process.

[0091] As described above, in the vehicle display device 10 according to this embodiment, before the vehicle 12 changes lanes from the travel path to another lane, the lane display L corresponding to the lane in which the vehicle 12 is traveling and the lane to which the vehicle 12 is to change lanes is displayed on the first display unit 24. This allows the occupant to know the second lane to which the vehicle 12 is to change lanes by looking at the display unit.

[0092] In addition, confirmation displays (P1 to P3) related to checking the status of the lane before the lane change are displayed on the first display unit 24. This allows the occupants to see that the vehicle 12 has checked the status of the lane before the lane change, thereby providing a sense of security.

[0093] Furthermore, in this embodiment, regardless of whether there is another vehicle in the lane to which the vehicle is about to change lanes, the confirmation display is displayed on the first display unit 24. Therefore, by looking at the first display unit 24, the occupant can understand that the status of the lane to which the vehicle is about to change lanes is being checked, regardless of the congestion status of the road, which gives the occupant an even greater sense of security.

[0094] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, by looking at the first confirmation display P1, the occupants can understand that the vehicle 12 is acquiring surrounding information before changing lanes, which gives them a sense of security.

[0095] Also, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, by looking at the second confirmation display P2, the occupant can understand that the target position after the lane change has been confirmed by the vehicle 12, which gives the occupant a sense of security.

[0096] The second confirmation display P2 is displayed in a position in front of (or behind) the other vehicle display V3 so as not to overlap with the other vehicle display V3. This allows the occupant to understand by looking at the first display unit 24 that the target position after changing lanes has been confirmed by the vehicle 12, taking into account the presence of other vehicles, thereby providing a sense of security.

[0097] 8, by looking at the third confirmation display P3, the occupant can understand that the vehicle 12 is ready to change lanes, and can prepare for the lane change. This provides an increased sense of security before changing lanes.

[0098] In this embodiment, the second confirmation indicator P2 indicates the target position after the lane change using a linear graphic, and the third confirmation indicator P3 indicates that a lane change is possible using a planar graphic. In this way, by changing the display from a linear graphic to a planar graphic, the presence of the confirmation indicators can be gradually increased. This allows the occupant to intuitively understand the step-by-step confirmation process associated with a lane change. That is, just before a lane change, it is necessary to maintain a sufficient distance from other vehicles traveling in the lane into which the vehicle is about to change lanes. By displaying the third confirmation indicator P3 as a planar graphic, the occupant is reminded that there is space in the lane into which the vehicle can change lanes. This allows the occupant to intuitively understand the step-by-step confirmation process associated with a lane change.

[0099] In this embodiment, the occupant can understand that a lane change is being made by looking at the planned driving route R shown in Fig. 9, which is an execution display. In this way, with the vehicular display device 10, the occupant can gradually understand the vehicle's confirmation of the surrounding situation and the execution of the lane change as the vehicle changes lanes, and can understand in detail the vehicle control associated with the lane change. This gives the occupant a sense of security.

[0100] In addition, in this embodiment, the first display unit 24 is a meter display provided in front of the driver's seat, so the occupant in the driver's seat can check the first display unit 24 without moving their line of sight significantly. This allows the occupant to easily check both the scenery ahead of the vehicle and the control of the vehicle 12 associated with lane changes, providing an even greater sense of security. Note that the second display unit 26, which is the projection surface of the head-up display device 44, may also be used as the display unit of the present invention, and in this case, the same effects as those of the first display unit 24 in this embodiment can be achieved.

[0101] [supplementary explanation] In the above embodiment, the vehicle display device 10 is configured to include the functions of the acquisition unit 51, the operation plan setting unit 52, and the automatic driving control unit 54, but the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration in which some or all of these functions are provided in another control device may be adopted. Therefore, in the above embodiment, the surrounding information of the vehicle 12, the determination result as to whether or not there is a target position for lane change, and the determination result as to whether or not it is possible to change lanes to the target position are internally acquired, but a configuration in which this information and determination results are acquired from an external device including the acquisition unit 51, the operation plan setting unit 52, the automatic driving control unit 54, etc. via communication means may also be adopted.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the first display unit 24 is configured to display any one of the first confirmation display P1, the second confirmation display P2, and the third confirmation display P3 on the first display unit 24, but this is not limiting. The first display unit 24 may be configured to display one or more different types of confirmation display at a time.

[0103] The display modes of the first confirmation display P1, the second confirmation display P2, and the third confirmation display P3 in the above embodiment are merely examples, and the mode of each confirmation display can be changed appropriately as needed.

[0104] In the above embodiment, the display processing and lane change display processing executed by the CPU through software (programs) may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of such processors include programmable logic devices (PLDs) such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacture, and dedicated electrical circuits such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), which are processors with circuit configurations specifically designed to execute specific processes. The display processing and lane change display processing may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (e.g., multiple FPGAs, or a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). The hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor devices. In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the programs for the display processing and lane change display processing are described as being pre-stored (installed) in ROM or storage, but this is not limiting. The programs may be provided in a form recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory), or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. The programs may also be downloaded from an external device via a network. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10 Vehicle display device 12 vehicles 14 Instrument panel 24 First display section (display section) 26 Second display section (display section, projection surface) 28 ECU (control unit) 44 Head-up display device L Lane markings (first lane, second lane) V3 Other vehicle display P1 First confirmation display P2 Second confirmation display P3 Third confirmation display R Planned driving route (execution display)

Claims

1. a display unit provided in a vehicle interior; a control unit that causes the display unit to display lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle is to change lanes, and a first confirmation indication consisting of only a graphic without any text indicating that acquisition of surrounding information including the situation of the second lane will begin; A vehicle display device comprising:

2. a display unit provided in a vehicle interior; a control unit that causes the display unit to display lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, and a second confirmation indication that indicates a target position of the vehicle after the lane change and that consists of only a graphic displayed only on the image representing the second lane and does not include any text; A vehicle display device comprising:

3. a display unit provided in a vehicle interior; a control unit that causes the display unit to display lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, and a third confirmation indication indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to a target position after the lane change, the third confirmation indication consisting of only a graphic without any text or image representing a trajectory of the vehicle from the current position to the target position; A vehicle display device comprising:

4. The vehicle display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display at least one of a first confirmation display indicating that acquisition of surrounding information including the situation of the second lane will begin, regardless of whether there are other vehicles other than the vehicle on the second lane, a second confirmation display indicating a target position after the vehicle changes lanes, and a third confirmation display indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to the target position after the vehicle changes lanes.

5. The vehicle display device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit, after displaying the first confirmation display, causes the display unit to display a second confirmation display indicating a target position after the vehicle changes lanes.

6. 6. The vehicular display device according to claim 5, wherein, after displaying the first confirmation display, if the control unit obtains a determination result based on the surrounding information that the vehicle is able to change lanes to a target position after the lane change, the control unit displays the second confirmation display based on the determination result.

7. 3. The vehicle display device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit overlays an other vehicle display corresponding to another vehicle different from the vehicle on the second lane on the lane display, and causes the display unit to display the second confirmation display in a position in front of or behind the other vehicle display so that the second confirmation display does not overlap.

8. 3. The vehicle display device according to claim 2, wherein, after displaying the second confirmation display, the control unit causes the display unit to display a third confirmation display indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to a target position after the lane change.

9. 9. The vehicle display device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit, after displaying the second confirmation display, acquires surrounding information including the status of the second lane, and when a determination result based on the surrounding information indicates that a lane change to the target position is possible, displays the third confirmation display based on the determination result.

10. the second confirmation mark and the third confirmation mark have different shapes. The display device for a vehicle according to claim 8 or 9.

11. the control unit causes the display unit to display a second confirmation display indicating a target position after the vehicle has changed lanes; the second confirmation display is displayed on the display unit as a linear figure extending in a road width direction on the lane display corresponding to the second lane, The vehicle display device according to claim 3 , wherein the third confirmation display is displayed on the display unit as a planar graphic having a predetermined area on the lane marking corresponding to the second lane.

12. The vehicle display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display at least one of a first confirmation display indicating that acquisition of surrounding information including the status of the second lane will begin, a second confirmation display indicating a target position after the vehicle has changed lanes, and a third confirmation display indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to the target position after the vehicle has changed lanes, and then, when the vehicle changes lanes to the second lane, deletes any of the first confirmation display, the second confirmation display, and the third confirmation display and causes the display unit to display an execution display indicating that the vehicle is changing lanes to the second lane.

13. The display device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display unit is at least one of a meter display of a meter display device provided in an instrument panel in front of the driver's seat, and a projection surface projected by a head-up display device on the vehicle upper side of the meter display.

14. The first confirmation display is an image having a shape that is convex toward the second lane and that appears to move from the first lane toward the second lane. The vehicle display device according to claim 1 .

15. a display unit provided in a vehicle interior; A control unit; Equipped with The control unit displaying on the display unit a lane indication corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane into which the vehicle is to change lanes, and a first confirmation indication consisting of only a graphic without any text indicating that acquisition of surrounding information including the situation of the second lane will begin; After erasing the first confirmation display from the display unit, displaying on the display unit the lane display corresponding to the first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, and a second confirmation display indicating a target position of the vehicle after the lane change, the second confirmation display consisting of only a graphic displayed only on an image representing the second lane, and no text; After the second confirmation display is erased from the display unit, the display unit displays the lane display corresponding to the first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, and a third confirmation display indicating that the vehicle can change lanes to a target position after changing lanes, and consisting only of a graphic without any text or images representing the vehicle's trajectory from its current position to the target position.

16. A display method that causes a computer to execute a process to display, on a display unit provided within the vehicle cabin, lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, and a second confirmation indication that indicates the target position of the vehicle after the lane change and that consists only of a graphic displayed only on an image representing the second lane, without any text.

17. A program that causes a computer to execute a process to display, on a display unit provided within the vehicle's cabin, lane indications corresponding to a first lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane to which the vehicle will change lanes, and a second confirmation indication that indicates the target position of the vehicle after the lane change and that consists only of a graphic displayed only on an image representing the second lane, without any text.

Images