Control device, control method, and program

Abstract

To improve convenience for an occupant (for example, a driver) of a mobile object.SOLUTION: A control device performs: (a) determining whether a length in a traveling direction of a connection area in which a first lane and a second lane are connected satisfies being a length for changing a lane of a mobile object to the second lane at speed equal to or higher than predetermined speed at which automatic lane change control is executable; (b) determining whether changing the lane of the mobile object to the second lane is possible in the connection area at speed of the mobile object; and when the mobile object is scheduled to change the lane to the second lane, notifying an occupant of the mobile object that the mobile object cannot change the lane to the second lane by performing the automatic lane change control before the mobile object arrives at the second lane if (a) is not satisfied, and decelerating the mobile object to speed at which the mobile object can change the lane to the second lane and which is equal to or higher than the predetermined speed if (a) is satisfied and (b) is not satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide sustainable transportation systems that take various situations into consideration have become more active. To achieve this, efforts are being made to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of driving assistance technologies. For example, a vehicle control device has been disclosed that sets the steering assistance give-up position based on the end of the lane where the driving lane and the branching lane are adjacent, depending on the driving speed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-146020 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional technologies have sometimes been unable to provide appropriate control depending on the road, resulting in insufficient convenience for passengers of the vehicle.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and one of its objects is to provide a control device, a control method, and a program that can improve convenience for passengers (e.g., drivers) of a moving vehicle, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The control device, control method, and program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A control device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a determination unit that determines whether or not an automated lane change control is possible for automatically changing lanes of a moving object to a second lane adjacent to a first lane on which the moving object is traveling, and a control unit that causes the moving object to change lanes when the automated lane change control is possible, wherein the second lane is a lane that is not present at a position on which the moving object is traveling and increases ahead of the position in a traveling direction of the moving object, and the determination unit (a) determines whether or not a length in the traveling direction of a connecting region where the first lane and the second lane are connected satisfies a length for allowing the moving object to change lanes to the second lane at a speed equal to or greater than a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed. (b) determine whether or not a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connection area at the current speed of the moving body or a moving body speed that is the speed when the moving body is assumed to have reached the second lane, and when the moving body is planning to change lanes to the second lane, if (a) is not satisfied, the control unit notifies an occupant of the moving body that the moving body cannot change lanes to the second lane by performing the automated lane change control before the moving body reaches the second lane, and if (a) is satisfied but (b) is not satisfied, the control unit decelerates the moving body to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and that is equal to or greater than the specified speed.

[0007] (2): In the above aspect (1), the determination unit determines that (b) is not satisfied if the length of the connection area in the traveling direction is shorter than the length that allows for a lane change to the second lane at the moving body speed.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (2), the release position of the automobile lane change control is set on the forward side of the direction of travel with respect to the end of the connection area, and when the moving body is traveling at or above the specified speed, if the release position is located forward of the start point of the connection area in the direction of travel, the automobile lane change control cannot be performed, and therefore the control unit issues the notification before reaching the release position.

[0009] (4): In any of the aspects of (1) above, the judgment unit judges that (b) is satisfied when the moving body speed is equal to or less than an allowable speed, and the allowable speed is the speed at which the moving body can change lanes from the first lane to the second lane, which is set according to the length of the connection area in the direction of travel.

[0010] (5): In the above aspect (1), the judgment unit judges whether the curvature of the second lane or the road near the second lane is such that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane when the moving body travels at or above the specified speed, and the control unit, if the judgment unit judges that the curvature of the road is such that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane, notifies the occupants of the moving body that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to change the moving body to the second lane before the moving body reaches the second lane.

[0011] (6): In the above aspect (5), the judgment unit judges whether the curvature of the road at or near the start point of the connection area is such that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane when the moving body travels at or above the specified speed, and if the judgment unit judges that the curvature of the road is such that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane, the control unit notifies the occupants of the moving body that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to change the moving body to the second lane before the moving body reaches the second lane.

[0012] (7): In the above aspect (6), even if the judgment unit determines that the curvature of the road at or near the start point of the connection area is such that the automated lane change control to the second lane cannot be performed when the moving body travels at or above the specified speed, if the judgment unit determines that the length of the connection area in the traveling direction after the moving body passes the start point is equal to or greater than a predetermined length, the judgment unit determines that the automated lane change control can be performed.

[0013] (8): In the above aspect (7), the predetermined length is a length that allows the automated lane change control to be executed if the vehicle decelerates within a range that does not fall below the specified speed when the curvature of the road at or near the start point of the connection area is equal to or less than a threshold value.

[0014] (9): In the above aspect (1), the judgment unit judges that (a) is satisfied if the allowable speed associated with the length of the connection area in the traveling direction is equal to or greater than the specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed, and judges that (b) is satisfied if the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the allowable speed, and the allowable speed is the speed at which the moving body can change lanes, which is set according to the length of the connection area in the traveling direction.

[0015] (10): In another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle control method includes a computer executing a process of determining whether or not an automated lane change control is possible for automatically changing lanes of a moving object to a second lane adjacent to a first lane on which the moving object is traveling, and a process of changing lanes of the moving object if the automated lane change control is possible, wherein the second lane is a lane that is not present at a position on which the moving object is traveling and increases ahead of the position in the traveling direction of the moving object, and (a) a process of determining whether or not a length in the traveling direction of a connecting area where the first lane and the second lane are connected satisfies a length for changing lanes of the moving object to the second lane at a speed equal to or greater than a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be performed. and (b) a process for determining whether or not a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connection area at the current speed of the moving body or a moving body speed that is the speed when the moving body is assumed to have reached the second lane; and when the moving body is planning to change lanes to the second lane, if (a) is not satisfied, a process for notifying an occupant of the moving body that the moving body cannot change lanes to the second lane by performing the automated lane change control before the moving body reaches the second lane; and a process for decelerating the moving body to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and that is equal to or greater than the specified speed, if (a) is satisfied and (b) is not satisfied.

[0016] (11): A program according to another aspect of the present invention causes a computer to execute a process of determining whether or not an automated lane change control is possible for automatically changing lanes of a moving object to a second lane adjacent to a first lane on which the moving object is traveling, and a process of changing lanes of the moving object when the automated lane change control is possible, wherein the second lane is a lane that is not present at a position on which the moving object is traveling and increases forward of the position in a traveling direction of the moving object, and (a) a process of determining whether or not a length in the traveling direction of a connecting area where the first lane and the second lane are connected satisfies a length for changing lanes of the moving object to the second lane at a speed equal to or greater than a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be performed, and (b) The program executes the following processes: determining whether or not a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connection area at the current speed of the moving body or a moving body speed that is the speed when the moving body is assumed to have reached the second lane; and, if the moving body is planning to change lanes to the second lane and (a) is not satisfied, executing automated lane change control to notify an occupant of the moving body before the moving body reaches the second lane that the moving body cannot change lanes to the second lane; and, if (a) is satisfied but (b) is not satisfied, decelerating the moving body to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and that is equal to or greater than the specified speed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the aspects (1) to (11), convenience for occupants (e.g., drivers) of the mobile body can be improved. For example, the control device can realize control according to the shape of a branching lane or a road near a branching lane. Specifically, the control device can decelerate the mobile body to enable execution of automated lane change control, or, if automated lane change control cannot be executed even after deceleration, notify the occupants of the mobile body in advance that automated lane change control cannot be executed, thereby improving convenience for occupants of the mobile body.

[0018] According to the aspect (2), the control device can more accurately determine whether or not to perform the automated lane change control based on the length of the connection region.

[0019] According to the aspect (3), by notifying the driver that automatic lane change control cannot be performed before the vehicle reaches the give-up position, the driver can be assisted in manually changing lanes with ample time to maneuver.

[0020] According to the fifth aspect, the control device can more accurately determine that the automated lane change control is not possible and notify the occupant in advance.

[0021] According to the aspect (6), the curvature of the road is above a threshold, making it difficult to recognize what is ahead of the moving body, and it is possible to inform the occupants in advance that automated lane change control cannot be performed.

[0022] According to the seventh aspect, even if the curvature at or near the start position of the automated lane change control is equal to or greater than the threshold, if the length of the connection area is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, the control device executes the automated lane change control, thereby reducing the burden on the occupants.

[0023] According to the aspect (8), when the curvature at or near the start position of the lane change is greater than the standard, the control device increases the length of the specified distance in (7) above compared to when the curvature is smaller than the standard, thereby enabling the control device to perform automated lane change control with ease even when the curvature is greater than the standard. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 that uses a vehicle control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a comparative example. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining control in case A. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining control in case B. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining control in case C. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the control of case AC. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of correspondence information 160. [Figure 8] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] [Overall configuration] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 that uses a vehicle control system according to an embodiment. The vehicle on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted may be, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source may be an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or power discharged from a secondary battery or a fuel cell. This embodiment will be described as being applied to a vehicle, but may also be applied to other moving objects instead of a vehicle.

[0026] The vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU 60, an operator 80, a direction indicator 90, a driving assistance device 100, a driving force output device 200, a braking device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other via multiplex communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, serial communication lines, a wireless communication network, etc. The configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and some of the configuration may be omitted, or other configurations may be added. The driving assistance device 100 is an example of a "controller."

[0027] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera using a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). The camera 10 is attached to any location of a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as vehicle M) in which the vehicle system 1 is installed. When capturing an image of the front, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield, the back of the rearview mirror, or the like. The camera 10, for example, periodically captures images of the periphery of the vehicle M. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0028] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle M and detects radio waves reflected by an object (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and direction) of the object. The radar device 12 is attached to any location on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 may detect the position and speed of an object using an FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0029] The LIDAR 14 irradiates the surroundings of the vehicle M with light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths similar to light) and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 may be attached to any location on the vehicle M.

[0030] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc. of the object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 directly to the driving assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

[0031] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle M, for example, using a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth (registered trademark), DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc., or communicates with various server devices via a wireless base station.

[0032] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes various display devices, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, keys, etc. The HMI 30 is equipped with a display device. The display device is, for example, a so-called multi-information display, provided in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M, and displays various information about the vehicle M, such as a speedometer that indicates the traveling speed of the vehicle M or a tachometer that indicates the rotation speed (rotational speed) of the internal combustion engine equipped in the vehicle M.

[0033] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects the angular velocity around a vertical axis, a direction sensor that detects the direction of the vehicle M, and the like.

[0034] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 identifies the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be identified or supplemented by an inertial navigation system (INS) that uses the output of the vehicle sensors 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may share some or all of the components with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter, a route on a map) from the position of the vehicle M identified by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to a destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52, with reference to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is information that represents road shapes using, for example, links indicating roads and nodes connected by the links. The first map information 54 may also include information such as road curvature and POI (Point of Interest) information. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be realized, for example, by the functions of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet device owned by the occupant. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current position and destination to a navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0035] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61 and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the route on the map provided by the navigation device 50 into a plurality of blocks (for example, every 100 m in the vehicle traveling direction) and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines, for example, which lane from the left the vehicle M should take. When a branch point is present on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route to the branch point. For example, when the vehicle M arrives a predetermined distance before the branch road on which the vehicle M is traveling, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a lane connecting to the branch road as the recommended lane. The recommended lane determination unit 61 and the second map information 62 may be functional units or information included in another device, such as the driving assistance device 100.

[0036] The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes or information on lane boundaries. The second map information 62 may include road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices.

[0037] The operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82 as well as an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a shift lever, and other operators. The operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or whether or not an operation is performed, and the detection results are output to the driving assistance device 100 or some or all of the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220. The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be annular, and may be in the form of an irregularly shaped steering wheel, a joystick, a button, or the like. The operators 80 include a first operator 84. The direction indicator 90 turns on or off in response to operation of the first operator 84.

[0038] The first operator 84 is, for example, a turn signal lever switch. For example, when the driver operates the first operator 84, the direction indicator 90 lights up in response to the operation. When the driver performs a predetermined operation on the first operator 84, the control unit 150 activates an ALC (Auto Lane Change) function and causes the vehicle M to perform an automatic lane change. The predetermined operation is an operation that triggers activation of the ALC function. The predetermined operation is, for example, operating the turn signal lever switch in the direction of a desired lane change for a predetermined period of time, or pressing the turn signal lever switch to a predetermined position. More specifically, the predetermined operation is operating the turn signal lever switch in the direction of a desired lane change while maintaining a predetermined position for a predetermined period of time. The first operator 84 may be another embodiment, such as a button, instead of a turn signal lever switch. The ALC function may also be activated by operating another operator, such as a predetermined button.

[0039] The driving assistance device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110 and a control unit 150. The recognition unit 110 and the control unit 150 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or an SOC (System On Chip), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device having a non-transitory storage medium) such as an HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100, or may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driving assistance device 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-transitory storage medium) into a drive device.

[0040] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the position, speed, acceleration, and other states of objects around the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, the radar device 12, and the LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. The position of an object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive shaft) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of an object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or may be represented by an area. The "state" of an object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or the "behavioral state" (for example, whether or not the object is changing lanes or is about to change lanes).

[0041] The recognition unit 110 recognizes, for example, the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling (driving lane). For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the driving lane by comparing the pattern of road dividing lines (e.g., an arrangement of solid lines and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with the pattern of road dividing lines around the vehicle M recognized from an image captured by the camera 10. The recognition unit 110 may recognize the driving lane by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including not only road dividing lines but also road dividing lines, shoulders, curbs, medians, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by the INS may be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 110 recognizes stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena.

[0042] When recognizing the driving lane, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position and orientation of the vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the deviation of the reference point of the vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle it forms with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the vehicle M as the relative position and orientation of the vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the reference point of the vehicle M with respect to either side edge of the driving lane (a road dividing line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the vehicle M with respect to the driving lane.

[0043] The control unit 150 executes driving assistance control. For example, the control unit 150 automatically controls the driving force output device 200 and the brake device 210 without relying on the driver's operation, thereby automatically controlling the speed of the vehicle M. The control unit 150 executes so-called ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control). The control unit 150 controls the vehicle M to travel at a set speed, or to travel by following a leading vehicle at a predetermined distance from the leading vehicle.

[0044] The control unit 150 controls the steering device 220 so that the vehicle M does not deviate from the driving lane. For example, the control unit 150 controls the steering device 220 so that the vehicle M travels in the center or near the center of the driving lane recognized by the recognition unit 110. Hereinafter, this control may be referred to as "lane keeping control." The control unit 150 executes hands-on lane keeping control and hands-off lane keeping control.

[0045] Hands-on lane keeping control is a control that is executed when the driver is gripping the steering wheel (when a steering grip sensor (not shown) detects that the driver is gripping the steering wheel). The conditions under which hands-on lane keeping control can be executed are less stringent than the conditions under which hands-off lane keeping control can be executed.

[0046] Hands-off lane keeping control is a control that is executed when the driver is not gripping the steering wheel (when a steering grip sensor, not shown, does not detect that the driver is gripping the steering wheel). Hands-off lane keeping control can be executed, for example, when the following conditions are met: the speed of vehicle M is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed, vehicle M is traveling on a predetermined road (for example, a road or type of road that has been set in advance as one for which hands-off lane keeping control can be executed), and the driver is monitoring the road ahead. When the driver is monitoring the road ahead, hands-off lane keeping control is executed, and when the driver is not monitoring the road ahead, hands-off lane keeping control is not executed or is stopped.

[0047] The above-described conditions under which the hands-on lane keeping control and the hands-off lane keeping control can be executed are merely examples, and other conditions (for example, vehicle M following a vehicle ahead) may be included, or some conditions may be omitted. The conditions under which the hands-on lane keeping control can be executed may be looser than the conditions under which the hands-off lane keeping control can be executed (the conditions under which the hands-off lane keeping control can be executed may be stricter than the conditions under which the hands-on lane keeping control can be executed). Whether the driver is monitoring the road ahead is recognized by driving assistance device 100 based on an image captured by a camera (not shown) that captures an image of the driver.

[0048] The control unit 150 includes a determination unit 152 and a lane change control unit 154. The control unit 150 automatically changes lanes of the vehicle M. Details of these will be described later. The automatic lane change control that automatically changes lanes may be conditioned on the execution of hands-off lane keeping control or hands-on lane keeping control.

[0049] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) to the driving wheels for driving the vehicle M. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, etc., and an ECU that controls these. The ECU controls the above components in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the operator 80.

[0050] The brake device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the operator 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel.

[0051] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor changes the direction of the steered wheels by applying a force to, for example, a rack and pinion mechanism. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steered wheels in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or information input from the operator 80.

[0052] [Comparative Example] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a comparative example. In the comparative example, when vehicle M plans to change lanes to a second lane L2, which is a branch lane, by automated lane change control, if the second lane L2 does not satisfy the conditions for performing automated lane change control, a notification may be sent after vehicle M reaches the second lane L2 that automated lane change control is not possible. In FIG. 2, there is a second lane L2, which is a branch lane branching off from the first lane. Vehicle M can change lanes from the first lane L1 to the second lane L2 in a connection area AR1 where the first lane L1 and the second lane L2 connect (an area where the first lane L1 and the second lane L2 are adjacent to each other). The start point of the connection area AR1 is position P1. Position P1 is the start point of the second lane L2. The end point of the connection area AR1 is position P2. Position P2 is the position where the first lane L1 and the second lane L2 separate.

[0053] At time T, when an occupant of vehicle M performs an operation to instruct automated lane change control to the second lane L2 a predetermined distance before position P1, the driving assistance device of the comparative example determines whether the length L1 from position P1 to position P2 satisfies a condition. The condition is that length L1 is a length that allows vehicle M to change lanes with ease at its speed. For example, if length L1 does not satisfy the condition, vehicle M may not be able to move laterally to the second lane L2, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 2, and vehicle M may enter a zebra zone (crossing conductor) or the like beyond position P2 to change lanes. To prevent this, in the comparative example, if the condition is not satisfied, a notification that lane change is not possible is issued. However, this notification may be issued after vehicle M has passed position P1. In this case, the driver of vehicle M must manually change lanes to the second lane L2. When control is handed over to the driver, vehicle M has reached the middle of the connection area AR1 in the traveling direction of vehicle M, so the driver must quickly change lanes with vehicle M. In this way, the comparative example may provide an unfavorable situation for the driver.

[0054] In this embodiment, the convenience for the user is improved by performing the determination and control as follows.

[0055] [Lane change control] The determination unit 152 determines whether or not automated lane change control (ALC) is possible, which automatically changes vehicle M to a second lane adjacent to the first lane in which vehicle M is traveling. The lane change control unit 154 changes vehicle M to a lane when automated lane change control is possible. The automated lane change control is executed when the speed of vehicle M is equal to or greater than a specified speed. For example, if the speed of vehicle M is less than the specified speed, the automated lane change control is not executed, and the driver of vehicle M must manually change vehicle M to a lane. The second lane is a lane that is not present at the position where vehicle M is traveling and that increases ahead of the above position in the traveling direction of vehicle M. The increasing lane is, for example, a branching lane.

[0056] The determination unit 152 (a) determines whether the length in the traveling direction of the vehicle M of the connection area AR1 where the first lane and the second lane connect satisfies the length for allowing the vehicle M to change lanes to the second lane at or above a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed. The length for allowing the vehicle M to change lanes to the second lane at or above the specified speed is a length that is set in advance. The determination unit 152 may determine that the above (a) is satisfied when the allowable speed associated with the length in the traveling direction of the connection area is above or equal to the specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed.

[0057] The determination unit 152 (b) determines whether a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connection area at the current speed of the vehicle M or the vehicle speed that is the speed when the vehicle M is assumed to have reached the second lane. The determination unit 152 determines that the condition (b) is not satisfied if the length of the connection area in the traveling direction of the vehicle M is shorter than the length at which a lane change to the second lane is possible at the vehicle speed. More specifically, the determination unit 152 determines that the condition (b) is not satisfied if the vehicle speed exceeds the allowable speed, and determines that the condition (b) is satisfied if the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the allowable speed. The allowable speed is the speed at which the vehicle M can change lanes from the first lane to the second lane, which is set according to the length of the connection area in the traveling direction of the vehicle M.

[0058] When vehicle M is planning to change lanes to the second lane, if the above (a) is not satisfied, lane change control unit 154 notifies the occupants of vehicle M before vehicle M reaches the second lane that it will not be possible to change lanes to the second lane by performing automated lane change control. When vehicle M is planning to change lanes to the second lane, if the above (a) is satisfied but the above (b) is not satisfied, lane change control unit 154 decelerates vehicle M to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and that is equal to or greater than the specified speed.

[0059] The length of the connection area in the traveling direction of the vehicle M is acquired from map information or from the recognition result of the recognition unit 110. The determination unit 152 acquires the length of the connection area in the traveling direction of the vehicle M by referring to the first map information 54 or the second map information 62, or acquires the length of the connection area in the traveling direction of the vehicle M from the recognition result of the recognition unit 110.

[0060] The processing of this embodiment is executed, for example, when the vehicle M is scheduled to change lanes from the first lane L1 to a branching lane (the second lane L2). The automated lane change control to the branching lane may be activated when the occupant operates the first operating element 84 to instruct a lane change to the branching lane, or may be activated when a lane change to the branching lane is reserved in advance. The reservation may be, for example, a predetermined operation by the occupant of the vehicle M or a plan for the vehicle M to travel along a branching lane on a route to a set destination. As described above, this embodiment has been described as being applied when a vehicle change is scheduled. However, in addition to (or instead of) this, even if the above-described operation or reservation has not been performed, if the automated lane change control is executed to prevent the lane change to the branching lane, the driving assistance device 100 may notify the driver that the lane change to the branching lane is not possible by executing the automated lane change control.

[0061] (Case A) FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining control in case A. The explanation will focus on differences from FIG. 2. At time T, when an occupant of vehicle M performs an operation to instruct automated lane change control to the second lane L2 a predetermined distance before position P1, determination unit 152 determines whether or not the above condition (a) is met. If the above condition (a) is not met, lane change control unit 154 executes automated lane change control and notifies the occupant that a lane change to the second lane L2 is not possible. This notification is given before position P. For example, the notification is given a predetermined distance before position P.

[0062] For example, the release position of the automated lane change control is set on the near side in the traveling direction with respect to the end point (position P2) of the connection area. When the vehicle M is traveling at a predetermined speed (specified speed) equal to or greater than the specified speed, if the release position is located before the start point (position P1) of the connection area in the direction of entry of the vehicle M, the lane change control unit 154 issues a notification before the vehicle M reaches the release position because the automated lane change control is not possible. The release position is a position where the vehicle M needs to start changing lanes in order to complete the lane change by position P2 when the vehicle M is traveling at the specified speed or a specified speed equal to or greater than the specified speed. The driving assistance device 100 identifies the release position and issues a notification before the vehicle M reaches the release position.

[0063] For example, if the length L2 from position P1 to position P2 is short and vehicle M is traveling at a speed greater than or equal to a specified speed and changes lanes, the lateral movement associated with the vehicle change may be steep. For this reason, when the length is L2, vehicle M needs to change lanes at a speed less than or equal to the specified speed. However, because the automated lane change control is performed at a speed greater than or equal to the specified speed, lane changes to the length L2 must be performed manually.

[0064] In case A, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the occupant that the automated lane change control is not possible before the position P1, so that the occupant can prepare to change lanes manually in advance. This allows the automated lane change control to be executed, improving user convenience.

[0065] (Case B) Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the control in case B. The explanation will focus on the differences from Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. In the example of Fig. 4, the explanation will be given assuming that the above condition (a) is satisfied and, for example, the speed of the vehicle M is controlled by the driving assistance device 100.

[0066] At time T, when an occupant of vehicle M performs an operation to instruct automated lane change control to the second lane L2 a predetermined distance before position P1, the determination unit 152 determines whether or not the above condition (b) is met based on the length L3 from position P1 to position P2 and the speed of vehicle M. If the above condition (b) is not met, the lane change control unit 154 decelerates vehicle M. For example, the lane change control unit 154 controls the speed of vehicle M so that vehicle M reaches position P1 at an allowable speed or less.

[0067] For example, when vehicle M changes lanes, the length of the required connection area changes depending on the vehicle speed. At the current speed or the speed when vehicle M reaches the connection area, it may not be possible to change lanes using the connection area of ​​length L3. In this case, if the automated lane change control is stopped after vehicle M reaches the connection area or a notification is issued that the automated lane change control is not possible, the driver will need to quickly manually change lanes.

[0068] In case B, the lane change control unit 154 adjusts the speed of the vehicle M to a speed according to the length of the connection area so that the automated lane change control can be performed before the position P1. This allows the automated lane change control to be performed, improving user convenience.

[0069] (Case C) The determination unit 152 determines whether the curvature of the road in or near the second lane is such that automated lane change control to the second lane is not possible when the vehicle M is traveling at a specified speed or above. The curvature is acquired by referring to the first map information 54 or the second map information 62, as with the length of the connection area, or is acquired from the recognition results of the recognition unit 110. If the determination unit 152 determines that the curvature of the road is such that automated lane change control to the second lane is not possible (for example, a curvature equal to or greater than a threshold), the lane change control unit 154 notifies the occupants of the vehicle M that automated lane change control cannot be performed to change the vehicle M to the second lane before the vehicle M reaches the second lane.

[0070] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining control in case C. The explanation will focus on differences from FIGS. 2 to 4. At time T, when an occupant of vehicle M performs an operation to instruct automatic lane change control to the second lane L2 a predetermined distance before position P1, determination unit 152 acquires the curvature of the target area. The target area is the second lane L2, the vicinity of the second lane L2, the start point of the connection area, a road near the start point (e.g., the first lane L1), etc. The target area is, for example, an area included in area AR2 in FIG. 5 or an area near area AR2. The arrow R1 in FIG. 5 is an example of an area for which curvature is calculated.

[0071] At time T+1, if the curvature is such that automated lane change control to the second lane is not possible, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the occupants of vehicle M, for example, before position P1, that automated lane change control cannot be performed to change vehicle M to the second lane.

[0072] For example, lane changes through the automated lane change control may not be permitted in an area where the curvature is equal to or greater than a threshold value. In this case, if the automated lane change control is stopped or a notification is issued that the automated lane change control is not possible when the vehicle reaches position P1, the driver will need to quickly manually change lanes.

[0073] In case C, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the occupant that the automated lane change control is not possible before the position P1, so that the occupant can prepare to change lanes manually in advance. This allows the automated lane change control to be executed, improving user convenience.

[0074] [Summary so far] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the control of Case AC. As described in Case A, when the length of the connection region is less than the length corresponding to the speed at which the automated lane change control is possible, the driving assistance device 100 notifies the driver that the automated lane change control is impossible a predetermined distance before the start of the connection region. As described in Case B, when the length of the connection region is equal to or greater than the length corresponding to the speed at which the automated lane change control is possible and the speed of the vehicle M exceeds the allowable speed of the connection region, the driving assistance device 100 decelerates the speed of the vehicle M to equal to or less than the allowable speed before the vehicle M reaches the start of the connection region. As described in Case C, when the curvature of a lane, road, or the like included in the target region is equal to or greater than a threshold, the driving assistance device 100 notifies the driver that the automated lane change control is impossible a predetermined distance before the start of the connection region.

[0075] As described above, the driving assistance device 100 can realize control according to the shape of the connection area or the vicinity of the connection area, thereby improving convenience for the user.

[0076] Here, the permissible speed will be explained. The determination unit 152 acquires the permissible speed by referring to the correspondence information 160. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the correspondence information 160. The correspondence information 160 is information stored in a storage unit of the driving assistance device 100. The correspondence information 160 is, for example, information in which the range of the length of the connection area is associated with the permissible speed. For example, when the length is La, X1 km / h is the permissible speed. The determination unit 152 acquires the permissible speed of the target connection area AR by referring to the correspondence information 160.

[0077] For example, when the curvature is less than the threshold and the vehicle is traveling on a road (first lane L1 or second lane L2) with a curvature that allows automatic lane change control, the determination unit 152 acquires an allowable speed according to the curvature. The allowable speed according to the curvature is a speed obtained by applying a preset curvature index to the allowable speed according to the length range. For example, when the curvature is less than the threshold and the length of the connection area is La, the allowable speed is calculated by multiplying the allowable speed X1 km / h by a coefficient according to the curvature that is less than 1.

[0078] As described above, the driving assistance device 100 can realize control according to the shape by acquiring the permissible speed according to the shape of the road or connection area.

[0079] In the above example, even if the determination unit 152 determines that the curvature of the target area (e.g., a road at or near the start point of the connection area) is such that automated lane change control to the second lane L2 is not possible when the vehicle M travels at a speed equal to or greater than a predetermined speed, the determination unit 152 may determine that automated lane change control is possible if the determination unit 152 determines that the length of the connection area in the traveling direction is equal to or greater than a predetermined length after passing the start point. For example, if the determination unit 110 recognizes that the length of the connection area in the traveling direction is equal to or greater than a predetermined length as described above based on the recognition result of the determination unit 110, the determination unit 152 may determine that automated lane change control is possible. As a result, even if the curvature at or near the start position of automated lane change control is equal to or greater than a threshold, if the length of the connection area is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, the driving assistance device 100 executes automated lane change control. As a result, the burden on the vehicle occupants can be reduced.

[0080] The predetermined length is a length that allows automated lane change control to be performed if the curvature of the target area (the start point of the connection area or the road near the start point) is equal to or less than a threshold and the vehicle speed is decelerated within a range that does not fall below a specified speed. For example, the greater the curvature, the longer the predetermined length is set. When the curvature at or near the start position of the lane change is greater than a first curvature, the driving assistance device 100 sets the predetermined length longer than when the curvature is equal to or less than the first curvature, thereby allowing automated lane change control to be performed with ease even when the curvature is greater than the first curvature.

[0081] [flowchart] 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100. First, the determination unit 152 determines whether or not an instruction to execute automated lane change control (an instruction for ALC) has been acquired (step S100). If an instruction to execute automated lane change control has been acquired, the determination unit 152 determines whether or not the instruction is an instruction to change lanes to a branching lane (step S102). For example, if the driver operates the first operating element 84, and this operation is an operation to turn on the turn signal 90 to indicate a lane change to a branching lane, and the operation is an operation to execute automated lane change control, the determination unit 152 determines that the instruction is an instruction to change lanes to a branching lane.

[0082] Next, the determination unit 152 acquires the curvature of the target area (step S104) and determines whether the curvature is equal to or greater than a threshold (step S106). If the curvature is equal to or greater than the threshold, the lane change control unit 154 notifies the driver that the automated lane change control cannot be performed a predetermined distance before the start point of the connection area (step S114).

[0083] If the curvature is not equal to or greater than the threshold (if the curvature is less than the threshold), the determination unit 152 acquires the permissible speed corresponding to the connection region (step S108). Next, the determination unit 152 determines whether the permissible speed is equal to or less than a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed (step S110). If the permissible speed is equal to or less than the specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed, the automated lane change control unit 154 notifies the driver that the automated lane change control cannot be executed a predetermined distance before the start of the connection region (step S114).

[0084] If the permissible speed is not equal to or less than the specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed (if the permissible speed exceeds the specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed), the lane change control unit 154 determines whether the vehicle speed exceeds the permissible speed (step S112). If the vehicle speed exceeds the permissible speed, the lane change control unit 154 decelerates the speed of the vehicle M to equal to or less than the permissible speed (step S116). This allows the vehicle M to execute the automated lane change control in the connection area.

[0085] As described above, if the driving assistance device 100 cannot perform automated lane change control depending on the length of the connection area and the shape of the road, it can improve the convenience of the occupants by providing advance notification or controlling the speed of the vehicle M so that automated lane change control can be performed.

[0086] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage device storing a program; a hardware processor; The hardware processor executes the program stored in the storage device, a process of determining whether or not an automatic lane change control is possible for automatically changing the lane of the moving object into a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the moving object is traveling; and executing a process of causing the moving object to change lanes when the automated lane change control is possible; the second lane is a lane that is not present at a position where the moving body is traveling and increases ahead of the position in the traveling direction of the moving body, (a) determining whether a length in the traveling direction of a connection area where the first lane and the second lane are connected satisfies a length required for the moving object to change lanes to the second lane at a speed equal to or greater than a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed; (b) determining whether a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connection area at a moving object speed that is a current speed of the moving object or a speed at which the moving object is assumed to have reached the second lane; When the moving object is planning to change lanes to the second lane, If the condition (a) is not satisfied, a process of notifying an occupant of the moving body that the moving body cannot change lanes to the second lane by performing an automated lane change control before the moving body reaches the second lane; If the condition (a) is satisfied but the condition (b) is not satisfied, a process of decelerating the moving body to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and which is equal to or greater than the specified speed is executed. The control device is configured as follows.

[0087] The above describes the form for carrying out the present invention using an embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and various modifications and substitutions can be made within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 1 Vehicle System 10 Camera 80 Controls 84 1st controller 90 Turn signal 100 Driving assistance device 110 Recognition part 150 control section 152 Judgment section 154 Lane change control unit

Claims

1. a determination unit that determines whether or not an automatic lane change control is possible for automatically changing the lane of the moving object to a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the moving object is traveling; a control unit that causes the moving object to change lanes when the automobile lane change control is possible, the second lane is a lane that is not present at a position where the moving body is traveling and increases ahead of the position in the traveling direction of the moving body, The determination unit (a) determining whether a length in the traveling direction of a connection area where the first lane and the second lane are connected satisfies a length required for the moving object to change lanes to the second lane at a speed equal to or greater than a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed; (b) determining whether a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connection area at a moving object speed that is a current speed of the moving object or a speed that is a speed when the moving object is assumed to have reached the second lane; When the moving object is scheduled to change lanes to the second lane, The control unit If the condition (a) is not satisfied, before the moving body reaches the second lane, notify an occupant of the moving body that the moving body cannot change lanes to the second lane by performing the automated lane change control; If the condition (a) is satisfied but the condition (b) is not satisfied, the moving object is decelerated to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and which is equal to or greater than the specified speed. Control device.

2. The determination unit If the length of the connection area in the traveling direction is shorter than the length that allows the vehicle to change lanes to the second lane at the vehicle speed, it is determined that the condition (b) is not satisfied. The control device according to claim 1 .

3. a release position of the automatic lane change control is set on the near side in the traveling direction with respect to an end of the connection area; When the mobile object is traveling at the specified speed or higher and the release position is located before the start point of the connection area in the traveling direction, the control unit cannot perform the automated lane change control, and therefore performs the notification before the mobile object reaches the release position. The control device according to claim 2 .

4. the determination unit determines that the condition (b) is satisfied when the moving object speed is equal to or less than an allowable speed; the permissible speed is a speed at which the moving object can change lanes from the first lane to the second lane, which is set according to the length of the connection area in the traveling direction; The control device according to claim 1 .

5. the determination unit determines whether a curvature of the second lane or a road near the second lane is a curvature that makes it impossible to perform the automated lane change control to the second lane when the moving object travels at the specified speed or higher; When the determination unit determines that the curvature of the road is such that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane, the control unit notifies an occupant of the moving body that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to change the moving body to the second lane before the moving body reaches the second lane. The control device according to claim 1 .

6. the determination unit determines whether a curvature of a road at or near the start point of the connection area is a curvature that makes it impossible to perform the automated lane change control to the second lane when the moving object travels at or above the specified speed; When the determination unit determines that the curvature of the road is such that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to the second lane, the control unit notifies an occupant of the moving body that the automated lane change control cannot be performed to change the moving body to the second lane before the moving body reaches the second lane. The control device according to claim 5 .

7. Even if the determination unit determines that the curvature of the road at or near the start point of the connection area is such that the automated lane change control to the second lane cannot be performed when the moving object travels at the specified speed or higher, the determination unit determines that the automated lane change control is executable if it determines that the length of the connection area in the traveling direction after the moving object passes the start point is a predetermined length or longer. The control device according to claim 6.

8. the predetermined length is a length that allows the automated lane change control to be executed if the vehicle decelerates within a range that does not become less than the specified speed when the curvature of the road at or near the start point of the connection area is equal to or less than a threshold value. The control device according to claim 7.

9. The determination unit If the allowable speed associated with the length of the connection area in the traveling direction is equal to or greater than a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed, it is determined that the condition (a) is satisfied; If the moving object speed is equal to or less than the allowable speed, it is determined that the condition (b) is satisfied; the permissible speed is a speed at which the moving body can change lanes, which is set according to the length of the connection area in the traveling direction; The control device according to claim 1 .

10. The computer a process of determining whether or not an automatic lane change control is possible for automatically changing the lane of the moving object into a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the moving object is traveling; and executing a process of causing the moving object to change lanes when the automated lane change control is possible; the second lane is a lane that is not present at a position where the moving body is traveling and increases ahead of the position in the traveling direction of the moving body, (a) determining whether a length in the traveling direction of a connection area where the first lane and the second lane are connected satisfies a length required for the moving object to change lanes to the second lane at a speed equal to or greater than a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed; (b) determining whether a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connection area at a moving body speed that is a current speed of the moving body or a speed that is assumed to be a speed when the moving body reaches the second lane; When the moving object is scheduled to change lanes to the second lane, If the condition (a) is not satisfied, a process of notifying an occupant of the moving body that the moving body cannot change lanes to the second lane by performing the automated lane change control before the moving body reaches the second lane; If the condition (a) is satisfied but the condition (b) is not satisfied, a process of decelerating the moving object to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and which is equal to or greater than the specified speed; A control method for performing

11. On the computer, a process of determining whether or not an automatic lane change control is possible for automatically changing the lane of the moving object into a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the moving object is traveling; and executing a process of causing the moving body to change lanes when the automated lane change control is possible, wherein the second lane is a lane that is not present at a position where the moving body is traveling and increases ahead of the position in a traveling direction of the moving body, (a) determining whether a length in the traveling direction of a connection area where the first lane and the second lane are connected satisfies a length required for the moving object to change lanes to the second lane at a speed equal to or greater than a specified speed at which the automated lane change control can be executed; (b) determining whether a lane change to the second lane is possible in the connection area at a moving body speed that is a current speed of the moving body or a speed that is assumed to be a speed when the moving body reaches the second lane; When the moving object is scheduled to change lanes to the second lane, If the condition (a) is not satisfied, a process of notifying an occupant of the moving body that the moving body cannot change lanes to the second lane by performing an automated lane change control before the moving body reaches the second lane; If the condition (a) is satisfied but the condition (b) is not satisfied, a process of decelerating the moving object to a speed at which a lane change to the second lane is possible and which is equal to or greater than the specified speed; A program to execute.

Images