Driving assistance devices

The driving assistance device addresses driver annoyance by personalizing warnings based on past driving records and environmental factors, using sensory stimuli to enhance alertness and reduce distractions.

JP7803227B2Active Publication Date: 2026-01-21TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2022125899
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-08-05
Publication Date
2026-01-21
Estimated Expiration
2042-08-05

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Vehicle drivers may find warnings annoying even if they are delayed, leading to discomfort.

Method used

A driving assistance device that outputs warnings based on the driver's past record, vehicle environment, and passenger presence, using various stimuli to the driver's senses to reduce annoyance.

Benefits of technology

Reduces driver annoyance by tailoring warnings to the driver's state and environment, enhancing alertness and reducing distractions.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

To provide a driving support device that can reduce the annoyance felt by a driver of a vehicle in response to an alarm.SOLUTION: A driving support device 10 includes a control unit 12 that outputs an alarm to a driver of a vehicle 20 in which at least some operations are automatically controlled. The control unit 12 determines a content of the alarm based on at least one of driver's past driving records, a vehicle's driving environment, and the number of passengers.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a driving assistance device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART A vehicle alarm device is known that delays the timing of an alarm by detecting an operation on a steering wheel (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-175077 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Even if the warning is delayed, the driver of the vehicle may find the warning annoying.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to reduce the annoyance felt by vehicle drivers in response to warnings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control unit that outputs a warning to a driver of a vehicle in which at least some operations are automatically controlled. The control unit determines the content of the warning based on at least one of the driver's past driving record, the vehicle's driving environment, and the number of passengers. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to a driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the annoyance felt by a driver of a vehicle in response to an alarm can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a driving assistance device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of components of a terminal device installed in a vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (Configuration example of driving assistance system 1) As shown in FIG. 1 , a driving assistance system 1 according to one embodiment includes a driving assistance device 10 and a terminal device 40. The driving assistance device 10 generates and outputs information to assist the driver based on the state of the driver of the vehicle 20 or the state of the vehicle 20. The information to assist the driver is also referred to as assistance information. As the assistance information, the driving assistance device 10 generates and outputs an alarm to notify the driver when the driver loses concentration or becomes distracted, as will be described later. When a passenger is riding in the vehicle 20, the driving assistance device 10 may output the assistance information to the passenger.

[0010] The driving assistance device 10 may directly notify the driver or a passenger of the assistance information, or may output the assistance information to the terminal device 40 and have the terminal device 40 notify the driver of the assistance information. The terminal device 40 may be carried by the driver or a passenger, or may be mounted on the vehicle 20. The driving assistance device 10 may include the functions of the terminal device 40 and may be mounted on the vehicle 20. In other words, the terminal device 40 may be included in the driving assistance device 10. The functions of the driving assistance device 10 or the terminal device 40 may be realized by another device, such as a navigation device, mounted on the vehicle 20.

[0011] <Driving assistance device 10> The driving assistance device 10 includes a control unit 12 , a storage unit 14 , and an interface 16 .

[0012] The control unit 12 controls at least one component of the driving assistance device 10. The control unit 12 may be configured to include one or more processors. In this embodiment, the "processor" refers to a general-purpose processor, a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing, etc., but is not limited to these. The control unit 12 may be configured to include one or more dedicated circuits. The dedicated circuits may include, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 12 may be configured to include a dedicated circuit instead of a processor, or may be configured to include a dedicated circuit together with a processor.

[0013] The memory unit 14 may be configured to include, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or the like, but is not limited to these. The memory unit 14 may function as, for example, a main memory device, an auxiliary memory device, or a cache memory. The memory unit 14 may be configured to include an electromagnetic storage medium such as a magnetic disk. The memory unit 14 may be configured to include a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The memory unit 14 stores any information or program used in the operation of the driving assistance device 10. The memory unit 14 may store, for example, a system program or an application program. The memory unit 14 may be included in the control unit 12.

[0014] The interface 16 outputs information, data, etc. from the control unit 12 and inputs information, data, etc. to the control unit 12. The interface 16 may include a communication module configured to be able to communicate with other devices such as the vehicle 20 or the terminal device 40 via the network 50. The communication module may be compatible with mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation). The communication module may be compatible with communication standards such as LAN (Local Area Network). The communication module may be compatible with wired or wireless communication standards. The communication module is not limited to these and may be compatible with various communication standards. The interface 16 may be configured to be connectable to the communication module.

[0015] The interface 16 may include an input device that accepts input of information, data, etc. from a user such as a driver. The input device may include, for example, a touch panel or touch sensor, or a pointing device such as a mouse. The input device may include physical keys. The input device may include an audio input device such as a microphone.

[0016] The interface 16 may include an output device that outputs information, data, etc. to a user such as a driver. The output device may include, for example, a display device that outputs visual information such as images, characters, or graphics. The display device may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic electroluminescence (EL) display, an inorganic electroluminescence (EL) display, or a plasma display panel (PDP). The display device is not limited to these displays and may include various other display types. The display device may include a light-emitting device such as an LED (light-emitting diode) or an LD (laser diode). The display device may include various other devices. The output device may include, for example, an audio output device such as a speaker that outputs audio information such as sound. The output device is not limited to these examples and may include various other devices.

[0017] The driving assistance device 10 may be configured to include one or more server devices that can communicate with each other.

[0018] <Terminal device 40> The terminal device 40 includes a control unit 42, an interface 44, and a stimulus presentation unit 46.

[0019] The control unit 42 may be configured to include one or more processors or one or more dedicated circuits. The control unit 42 may be configured identically or similarly to the control unit 12 of the driving assistance device 10. The control unit 42 may be configured to include a memory unit. The memory unit may be configured identically or similarly to the memory unit 14 of the driving assistance device 10.

[0020] The interface 44 may be configured to include an input device, an output device, or a communication device. The interface 44 may be configured identically or similarly to the interface 16 of the driving assistance device 10. When the terminal device 40 is an in-vehicle terminal, the input device may be configured as a touch panel of a navigation device or the like. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the input device may include a camera 441 that captures images of the inside or outside of the vehicle. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the output device may be configured as a display 442 of the navigation device, or may be configured as an audio device.

[0021] The stimulus presentation unit 46 is configured to provide various stimuli to the driver of the vehicle 20. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the stimulus presentation unit 46 may include an ejection unit 461 that ejects gas having a specific odor that stimulates the driver's sense of smell. The ejection unit 461 may be configured to eject atomized liquid to stimulate the driver's sense of touch. The ejection unit 461 may be configured to eject air toward the driver or output shock waves like an air cannon to stimulate the driver's sense of touch. The ejection unit 461 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the amount of the substance to be ejected. The ejection unit 461 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the speed of the substance to be ejected. The ejection unit 461 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the concentration of the gas to be ejected.

[0022] As illustrated in Fig. 2, the stimulus presentation unit 46 may be configured to include a current application unit 462 that applies a current to the seat to stimulate the driver's sense of touch or pain, or a current application unit 463 that applies a current to the steering wheel. The current application unit 462 or 463 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the magnitude of the current. The current application unit 462 or 463 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the time for which the current is applied. The current application unit 462 or 463 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on a pattern for changing the magnitude of the current.

[0023] As illustrated in Fig. 2, the stimulus presentation unit 46 may be configured to include a vibration presentation unit 464 that generates vibrations on the steering wheel, seat, or the like to stimulate the driver's tactile sense. The vibration presentation unit 464 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the strength of the vibration. The vibration presentation unit 464 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the duration of time for which the vibration is applied. The vibration presentation unit 464 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on a pattern for changing the magnitude of the vibration.

[0024] The stimulus presentation unit 46 may be configured to include an audio output device that outputs a specific sound that stimulates the driver's hearing. The output device of the interface 44 may be configured to output a specific sound that stimulates the driver's hearing. The stimulus presentation unit 46 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the volume. The stimulus presentation unit 46 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the time for which the sound is output. The stimulus presentation unit 46 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the content of the sound.

[0025] The stimulus presentation unit 46 may be configured to include a display device that displays information that stimulates the driver's vision. The output device of the interface 44 may be configured to display specific information that stimulates the driver's vision. The stimulus presentation unit 46 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the brightness of the display. The stimulus presentation unit 46 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the display time. The stimulus presentation unit 46 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the content of the display. The stimulus presentation unit 46 may control the magnitude of the stimulus output depending on the pattern in which the display is changed.

[0026] The function of the stimulus presentation unit 46 may be included in the driving assistance device 10 or the control device 30. The stimulus presentation unit 46 may be mounted on the vehicle 20 as an independent stimulus presentation device.

[0027] The terminal device 40 may be configured as a mobile terminal carried by the driver or a passenger of the vehicle 20, or may be configured as an in-vehicle terminal such as a navigation device mounted on the vehicle 20. The terminal device 40 may be configured to include a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet, or a PC such as a notebook PC (Personal Computer) or a tablet PC. The terminal device 40 is not limited to these examples and may be configured to include various devices. The number of terminal devices 40 provided in the driving assistance system 1 is not limited to one, but may be two or more.

[0028] <Vehicle 20> The vehicle 20 comprises a body and a drive unit for propelling the body. The body is configured so that a driver or passenger can ride in the vehicle 20. The drive unit may comprise, for example, wheels or caterpillar tracks as a mechanism for traveling on a road surface or the like. The drive unit may further comprise a drive mechanism such as a motor or engine that drives the wheels or caterpillar tracks. The drive unit may further comprise gears that transmit power from the drive mechanism to the wheels or caterpillar tracks. The drive unit may further comprise a steering mechanism. The drive unit may further comprise a battery that supplies power to the drive mechanism or a tank that supplies fuel.

[0029] The vehicle 20 is equipped with a control device 30. The control device 30 controls at least a part of the operation of driving the vehicle 20 by controlling at least a part of the drive unit of the vehicle 20. In other words, the control device 30 automatically controls at least a part of the operation of the vehicle 20. The vehicle 20 may be driven based on the operation by the driver and the control by the control device 30, or may be driven based only on the control by the control device 30.

[0030] The control device 30 may be configured to include one or more processors. The control device 30 may be configured to include one or more dedicated circuits instead of a processor, or may be configured to include a dedicated circuit together with a processor. The control device 30 may be configured the same as or similar to the control unit 12 of the driving assistance device 10. The control device 30 may include a memory unit. The memory unit may be configured the same as or similar to the memory unit 14 of the driving assistance device 10. The control device 30 may be configured to include an input device, an output device, or a communication device. The input device, output device, or communication device of the control device 30 may be configured the same as or similar to the interface 16 of the driving assistance device 10.

[0031] The vehicle 20 may be configured to include a position information detection unit that acquires position information of the vehicle 20 itself. The vehicle 20 may output the position information of the vehicle 20 itself to the driving assistance device 10. The position information detection unit may be configured to include a receiver compatible with a satellite positioning system. The receiver compatible with the satellite positioning system may include, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver or the like.

[0032] The vehicle 20 may further include sensors that detect the state of the vehicle 20. The sensors may include an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle 20. The sensors may include a weight sensor that detects a passenger riding in the vehicle 20. The sensors may include a camera that captures images inside or around the vehicle 20.

[0033] The control device 30 may output the position information of the vehicle 20 or the detection results of the state of the vehicle 20 to the driving assistance device 10. The driving assistance device 10 may acquire information from one vehicle 20 and generate assistance information for the driver of that vehicle 20, or may acquire information from multiple vehicles 20 and generate assistance information for the drivers of each vehicle 20.

[0034] The vehicle 20 may include an output device installed in the vehicle 20 itself. The output device may include, for example, a display of a navigation device or a HUD (Head Up Display), etc. The output device may also include a car audio device, etc.

[0035] (Example of operation of driving assistance system 1) The driver of the vehicle 20 may lose focus or become distracted while driving due to, for example, drowsiness while driving. In particular, when at least some of the operations of the vehicle 20 are controlled by the control device 30, the driver is likely to feel drowsy, lose focus or become distracted while driving. The control unit 12 of the driving assistance device 10 outputs an alert to increase the driver's concentration or to call the driver's attention as information to assist the driver. The control unit 12 may output the alert to the terminal device 40 via a communication device of the interface 16, and may output the alert to the driver or a passenger via an output device of the terminal device 40. The control unit 12 may also output the alert to the driver or a passenger via an output device of the interface 16.

[0036] <Alarm conditions> The control unit 12 may output an alarm when the state of the driver or the vehicle 20 satisfies an alarm condition. The control unit 12 may determine whether to output an alarm based on an image of the driver's face or body. The control unit 12 may determine whether to output an alarm based on biometric information of the driver. The control unit 12 may determine whether to output an alarm based on data detected from a drive unit or the like of the vehicle 20.

[0037] For example, the control unit 12 may determine to output an alert when the driver has their eyes closed for a predetermined period of time or when the driver's line of sight is away from the front of the vehicle 20 for a predetermined period of time or more. The predetermined period of time may be set according to the speed of the vehicle 20, for example. The control unit 12 may determine to output an alert when the driver's heart rate or breathing rate falls outside a predetermined range. The predetermined range may be set based on the driver's normal biological information while driving. In other words, the control unit 12 may determine to output an alert when the driver's biological information significantly deviates from the normal biological information while driving.

[0038] The control unit 12 may determine to output an alarm when the accelerator opening of the vehicle 20 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value or when the change in the accelerator opening becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The control unit 12 may determine to output an alarm when the brake operation amount of the vehicle 20 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value or when the change in the brake operation amount becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0039] <Example of warning content> The control unit 12 may output various types of warnings to the driver. The control unit 12 may determine the warning content to be a stimulus to the driver's senses, such as touch, smell, hearing, or sight.

[0040] The control unit 12 may determine, as the content of the warning, that the stimulus presentation unit 46 should provide vibration to the driver or a current signal such as a low-frequency current to the driver in order to stimulate the driver's tactile sense. The control unit 12 may determine, as the content of the warning, that the stimulus presentation unit 46 should spray mist or air onto the driver. The control unit 12 may determine, as the content of the warning, that a display or sound should be output to prompt a passenger to touch the driver.

[0041] The control unit 12 may determine that the content of the warning is to have the stimulus presentation unit 46 spray gas having a specific odor toward the driver to stimulate the driver's sense of smell. The specific odor may include, for example, an unpleasant odor or an irritating odor. The specific odor may include, for example, an odor having a stimulating effect, such as peppermint or mint.

[0042] The control unit 12 may determine the content of the alarm to be various sounds to stimulate the driver's hearing. For example, the control unit 12 may determine the content of the alarm to be a predetermined beep or melody. For example, the control unit 12 may determine the content of the alarm to be a sound that humans find unpleasant, such as the sound of an insect flying or the sound of fingernails scratching frosted glass. The control unit 12 may determine the content of the alarm to be a display or sound that urges passengers to call out to the driver.

[0043] The control unit 12 may determine, as the content of the warning, to output various displays to stimulate the driver's vision. For example, the control unit 12 may determine, as the content of the warning, to display a message including predetermined characters or symbols. For example, the control unit 12 may determine, as the content of the warning, to emit light or flashing light. The control unit 12 may display various displays on an output device such as the display 442 or a HUD. The control unit 12 may display stimulating information in the driver's line of sight. For example, if the driver is distracted while driving, the control unit 12 may display stimulating information in the driver's line of sight.

[0044] <Determining the content of the warning> The control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning to be output based on the state of the driver or the vehicle 20. For example, based on the fact that a passenger is riding in the vehicle 20 in addition to the driver, the control unit 12 may determine that the content of the warning is to encourage the passenger to give a stimulus to the driver.

[0045] The control unit 12 may acquire information regarding the content of the warning that is likely to awaken the driver in advance. For example, the control unit 12 may receive an input from the driver to set the content of the warning. For example, the control unit 12 may estimate the content of the warning that is likely to awaken the driver based on the relationship between the content of warnings previously output to the driver and changes in the driver's state. In other words, the control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning based on the driver's past driving record.

[0046] As described above, when at least some of the operations of the vehicle 20 are controlled by the control device 30, the driver is likely to feel drowsy, lose focus on driving, or become distracted while driving. As shown in Table 1, the autonomous driving levels of the vehicle 20 are classified from 1 to 5. The higher the number representing the autonomous driving level, the greater the proportion of operations of the vehicle 20 that are controlled by the control device 30 out of the operations of the vehicle 20 required to drive the vehicle 20.

[0047] [Table 1]

[0048] The control unit 12 may acquire in advance information regarding the content of the warning set according to the autonomous driving level of the vehicle 20. The control unit 12 may accept an input from the driver to set the content of the warning according to the autonomous driving level. As exemplified in Table 1, when the numerical value representing the autonomous driving level of the vehicle 20 is 4 or 5, there is little operation by the driver and there is little need to wake the driver, so the control unit 12 may be set not to output a warning.

[0049] When the value representing the autonomous driving level of the vehicle 20 is 3, the control unit 12 may determine that the content of the warning will be a weak stimulus such as vibrating the steering wheel. When the value representing the autonomous driving level of the vehicle 20 is 2, the control unit 12 may determine that the content of the warning will be to pass an electric current through the steering wheel or to spray a gas with an odd odor in order to increase the stimulus. When the value representing the autonomous driving level of the vehicle 20 is 1, the control unit 12 may determine that the content of the warning will be to pass an electric current through the driver's seat or to spray a gas with an odd odor in order to further increase the stimulus.

[0050] The control unit 12 may determine not only the type of stimulus as the content of the warning, but also the magnitude of the output of each stimulus. The strength of the stimulus provided to the driver is determined based on the type of stimulus and the magnitude of the output of the stimulus. The control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning so that the stimulus is stronger as the numerical value representing the autonomous driving level is smaller. Conversely, the control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning so that the stimulus is stronger as the numerical value representing the autonomous driving level is larger.

[0051] When a passenger is present in the vehicle 20, the control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning to notify the passenger of the driver's drowsiness and urge the passenger to take action to wake up the driver. When a passenger is present in the vehicle 20 and the vehicle is being driven autonomously, the control unit 12 may output a warning only to the driver, only to the passenger, or to both the driver and the passenger, depending on the level of autonomous driving.

[0052] The control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning based on the driving environment of the vehicle 20. For example, the control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning so that the stimulus becomes stronger the faster the driving speed of the vehicle 20. The control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning so that the stimulus becomes stronger the greater the difference in speed between the vehicle 20 and other surrounding vehicles. The control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning so that the stimulus becomes stronger the greater the number of other vehicles, pedestrians, obstacles, etc. present in the surroundings.

[0053] When the vehicle 20 is traveling with the control device 30 controlling at least some of the operations of the vehicle 20, the number of operations controlled by the control device 30 may decrease due to changes in the traveling environment of the vehicle 20, and the numerical value representing the autonomous driving level may become smaller. In other words, the number of items that the driver needs to operate without the driver intending to do so may increase. When the number of driver operations increases, the control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning so that the stimulus is stronger. The control unit 12 may calculate the probability that a driver operation will be required based on the traveling environment of the vehicle 20, and determine the content of the warning so that the stimulus is stronger as the probability increases.

[0054] The control unit 12 may calculate an allowable value for the time it takes for the driver to react to an event that occurs while the vehicle 20 is traveling (reaction time) based on the traveling environment of the vehicle 20. The control unit 12 may determine the strength of the stimulus so as to avoid a state in which the driver's attention decreases or drowsiness increases as the reaction time exceeds the allowable value. In other words, the control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning so that the strength of the stimulus can reduce the reaction time to below the allowable value.

[0055] The control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning based on the state of the driver. For example, the control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning so that the stronger the driver's drowsiness or the lower the driver's attention, the stronger the stimulation.

[0056] The quieter the vehicle interior, the more drowsy the driver may become or the more distracted the driver may become. The control unit 12 may determine the content of the alarm so that the fewer the number of passengers in the vehicle 20, the more stimulating the alarm will be. Conversely, the more the number of passengers in the vehicle, the more distracted the driver may become. The control unit 12 may determine the content of the alarm so that the more the number of passengers in the vehicle 20, the more stimulating the alarm will be.

[0057] As described above, the control unit 12 of the driving assistance device 10 may output a warning to the driver of the vehicle 20, at least some of whose operations are automatically controlled. The control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning based on at least one of the driver's past driving record, the driving environment of the vehicle 20, and the number of passengers. In this way, the annoyance felt by the driver by the warning can be reduced.

[0058] The control unit 12 may determine the content of the warning as a combination of multiple types of stimuli.The control unit 12 may also determine the content of the warning by appropriately setting the strength of the stimuli.

[0059] An embodiment according to the present disclosure may be realized as a driving assistance method executed by the control unit 12 of the driving assistance device 10. Furthermore, an embodiment according to the present disclosure may also be realized as a driving assistance program executed by the control unit 12. The driving assistance program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The driving assistance method or the driving assistance program may include the following steps.

[0060] Step S1: The control unit 12 acquires the state of the driver or the state of the vehicle 20. Step S2: The control unit 12 determines whether to output a warning to the driver. Step S3: If the control unit 12 determines to output a warning to the driver (step S2: YES), the control unit 12 determines the content of the warning. Step S4: The control unit 12 outputs the determined content of the warning.

[0061] The control unit 12 may end the execution of the above-described procedure when not outputting a warning to the driver (step S2: NO) or after executing the procedure of step S4.

[0062] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each means or step can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent, and multiple means or steps can be combined or divided into one.

[0063] The driving assistance device 10 according to the present disclosure is configured to be able to control the stimulus presentation unit 46 or an independent stimulus presentation device, and presents a stimulus of appropriately determined content to the driver. The function of controlling the stimulus that the driving assistance device 10 presents to the driver may be realized by a controller of the vehicle 20 such as the control device 30, a controller of an in-vehicle device such as a navigation device, or a controller of various other devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1. Driving assistance systems 10 Driving assistance device (12: control unit, 14: memory unit, 16: interface) 20 Vehicle (30: Control device) 40 terminal device (42: control unit, 44: interface, 441: camera, 442: display, 46: stimulus presentation unit, 461: ejection unit, 462, 463: current application unit, 464: vibration presentation unit) 50 Network

Claims

1. a control unit that outputs an alarm to a driver of a vehicle in which at least a part of operations are automatically controlled according to an autonomous driving level, by providing a tactile, olfactory, or auditory stimulus when the driver closes his / her eyes for a predetermined period of time or when the driver's line of sight is away from the front of the vehicle for the predetermined period of time or more; The control unit determining the content of the warning based on the autonomous driving level and at least one of the driver's past driving record, the vehicle's driving environment, or the number of passengers; A driving assistance device that determines the content of the warning so that the warning becomes more stimulating when the autonomous driving level changes so that the number of items that the driver needs to operate increases.

2. 2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit receives an input from the driver to set the content of the warning according to the autonomous driving level, and determines the content of the warning according to the content set by the driver.

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