Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program capable of executing more appropriate steering control according to a situation of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device according to an embodiment includes: a recognizer for recognizing a surrounding situation of an own vehicle; a driving state detector for detecting a driving state including steering of an occupant of the own vehicle; a driving controller for executing steering control to support the steering of the occupant when there is a probability of the own vehicle coming into contact with an obstacle in a surrounding area on the basis of a recognition result of the recognizer, and the driving state detector detects that the steering of the occupant is equal to or greater than a prescribed value; and a limiter for adjusting a limit value about the steering of the occupant according to a steering state of the occupant.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable traffic participants have been gaining momentum. To achieve this, efforts are being focused on research and development to further improve traffic safety and convenience through research and development of preventive safety technologies. In relation to this, a technology has been disclosed for a steering assist device that prevents a moving vehicle from leaving its lane, in which the steering limit value when turning on a curved route is increased beyond a reference value (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-12473 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, if the occupant attempts to steer the vehicle to avoid contact with an obstacle, the occupant may be unable to perform sufficient steering due to steering restrictions if steering control is currently being executed. Therefore, in the past, there was a problem that appropriate steering control could not be performed depending on the vehicle situation.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one of the objects of the present application is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program that can perform more appropriate steering control depending on the vehicle situation, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program according to the present invention employ the following configuration. (1): A vehicle control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle control device that includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; a driving state detection unit that detects the driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; a driving control unit that executes steering control to assist the occupant in steering when, based on the recognition result of the recognition unit, there is a possibility that the vehicle may come into contact with a nearby obstacle and the driving state detection unit detects that the occupant is steering at a level equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and a limiting unit that adjusts a limit value related to the occupant's steering in accordance with the occupant's steering state.

[0007] (2): In the above aspect (1), the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control is not in progress and a second upper limit value for steering during the steering control, and the driving control unit executes steering control so that the steering state during the steering control does not exceed the second upper limit value.

[0008] (3) In the above aspect (2), the limiting unit sets the second upper limit value within a predetermined range from the maximum value of the steering state of the occupant detected by the driving state detecting unit.

[0009] (4) In the above aspect (2), the limiting unit adjusts the second upper limit value until a predetermined time has elapsed since the steering control was executed.

[0010] (5): In the above aspect (3), the limiting unit reduces the adjusted second upper limit value so as to approach the first upper limit value over time.

[0011] (6) In the above aspect (4), the predetermined time is shorter than the time during which the steering control is predicted to be executed.

[0012] (7): In the above aspect (2), the limiting unit adjusts the second upper limit value according to the steering state of the occupant when the steering state of the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit exceeds the first upper limit value.

[0013] (8): Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle control method in which a computer recognizes the surrounding conditions of a vehicle, detects the driving state including the steering of an occupant of the vehicle, and, if the computer determines based on the recognition result that the vehicle may come into contact with a nearby obstacle and the occupant is detected to be steering at a level greater than a predetermined value, executes steering control to assist the occupant in steering, and adjusts a limit value for the occupant's steering according to the occupant's steering state.

[0014] (9): Another aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to recognize the surrounding conditions of a vehicle, detect the driving state including the steering of an occupant of the vehicle, and, if the result of the recognition indicates that the vehicle may come into contact with a nearby obstacle and the occupant is steering at a level greater than a predetermined value, execute steering control to assist the occupant in steering, and adjust the limit value for the occupant's steering according to the occupant's steering state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the above aspects (1) to (9), more appropriate steering control can be performed depending on the vehicle situation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a host vehicle M equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining setting of a second upper limit value in contact avoidance control. [Figure 3] 10 is a diagram for explaining adjustment of a second upper limit value by a limiting unit 150. FIG. [Figure 4]10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining an example of operation when an excessively large target steering angle speed is input in a state where the command value and the limit value are decreasing. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example in which the function of the limiting unit 150 described above is applied to the control of the operation control unit 140. [Figure 6] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of driving control executed by the driving assistance device 100. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0018] [Overall configuration] 1 is a configuration diagram of a host vehicle M equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. The host vehicle M may be, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source may be an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination of these. The electric motor operates using power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharged power from a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0019] The host vehicle M is equipped with, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, vehicle sensors 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driver monitor camera 70, driving operators 80, 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 multiple communication lines such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, serial communication lines, a wireless communication network, etc. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and some of the configuration may be omitted, or other configurations may be added. The driving assistance device 100 is an example of a "vehicle control device."

[0020] The camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera that uses 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 on the vehicle M. For example, when capturing an image of the front, the camera 10 is attached to the top of the front windshield or the back of the rearview mirror. The camera 10, for example, periodically and repeatedly captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle M. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0021] 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.

[0022] The LIDAR 14 irradiates the surroundings of the vehicle M with light (or electromagnetic waves with wavelengths similar to light) and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time between light emission and light reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 is attached to any location on the vehicle M.

[0023] 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 host vehicle M. Some or all of the camera 10, the radar device 12, the LIDAR 14, and the object recognition device 16 are examples of "external environment detection devices."

[0024] 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.

[0025] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the host vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display unit, a speaker, a microphone, a buzzer, a vibration generator (vibrator), a touch panel, switches, keys, etc. The display unit is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display device. The display unit may be, for example, a multi-information display (MID) provided in the center of the instrument panel of the host vehicle M, a meter display provided in the front portion of the instrument panel facing the driver's seat, or a head-up display (HUD). The display unit may be provided in multiple locations within the vehicle cabin. The display unit 32 displays various information about the host vehicle M, such as a speedometer indicating the traveling speed of the host vehicle M or a tachometer indicating the rotation speed (rotational speed) of the internal combustion engine provided in the host vehicle M, and information (images and videos) related to various driving assistance functions executed by the host vehicle M. The display unit may be integrated with the input unit as a touch panel. The speaker outputs a predetermined sound (for example, an alarm).

[0026] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed of the host vehicle M, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration, a yaw rate sensor that detects a yaw rate (e.g., a rotational angular velocity around a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the host vehicle M), a steering angular velocity sensor that detects the steering angular velocity (actual steering angle) of steered wheels (e.g., front wheels) based on the rotational angular velocity, and a direction sensor that detects the direction of the host vehicle M. The steering angular velocity may be acquired, for example, as a positive value when turning left and a negative value when turning right. The vehicle sensor 40 may also be provided with a position sensor that detects the position of the host vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. The position sensor may also be a sensor that acquires position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50. The vehicle sensor 40 may also be provided with an abnormality detection sensor that detects abnormalities such as malfunctions. The detection results by the vehicle sensor 40 are output to the driving assistance device 100.

[0027] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS 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 carried 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.

[0028] 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 travel direction) and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the number of lanes from the left in which to travel. Furthermore, when a branch point is present on the route on the map, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines the recommended lane so that the host vehicle M can travel on a reasonable route to the branch point. 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, lane boundary information such as road dividing lines that divide lanes, etc. The second map information 62 may include road information, the location of road shoulders, 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. The first map information 54 and the second map information 62 may be stored in a storage unit within the driving assistance device 100.

[0029] The driver monitor camera 70 is, for example, a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitor camera 70 is attached to any location on the host vehicle M in a position and orientation that allows it to capture an image of the head and upper body (including the position of the hands) of at least the driver (hereinafter referred to as the driver) seated in the driver's seat of the host vehicle M from the front (in an orientation that captures the face). For example, the driver monitor camera 70 is attached to the top of a display device provided in the center of the instrument panel of the host vehicle M. The driver monitor camera 70 outputs an image of the interior of the vehicle, including the driver of the host vehicle M, captured from its installed position to the driving assistance device 100.

[0030] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82, an accelerator pedal 84, a brake pedal 86, an operating switch for a turn signal lever (direction indicator), a shift lever, and other operators. The driving operators 80 are fitted with sensors that detect the amount of operation or the presence or absence of operation, and the detection results are output to the driving assistance device 100 or some or all of the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0031] The steering wheel 82 is a steering operator attached to, for example, a steering shaft, and receives steering operation of the vehicle M by the driver, and is equipped with an EPS (Electric Power Steering) function. The steering wheel 82 is also provided with a steering wheel sensor (hereinafter referred to as SW sensor) 82A. The SW sensor 82A detects whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82. The SW sensor 82A also detects steering information of the steering wheel 82. The steering information includes, for example, a steering torque generated around a shaft (rotation axis), a rotational angular velocity (steering angular velocity), a magnitude of the steering force (steering amount), and the like. Note that at least one piece of steering information (for example, steering torque) may be acquired, for example, with a positive value representing a leftward movement from the neutral state of the steering wheel 82 and a negative value representing a rightward movement.

[0032] An accelerator pedal sensor (AP sensor) 84A is attached to the accelerator pedal 84. The AP sensor 84A detects the amount of operation (opening) of the accelerator pedal 84, which changes in response to the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal 84 or a request from the system. The brake pedal 86 is provided with a brake pedal sensor (BP sensor) 86A. The BP sensor 86A detects the amount of operation (opening) of the brake pedal 86, which changes in response to the driver's operation of the brake pedal 86 or a request from the system.

[0033] The driving force output device 200 outputs a driving force (torque) to the driving wheels for driving the host 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 (Electronic Control Unit) that controls these. The ECU controls the above components in accordance with information input from the driving assistance device 100 or the driving operator 80.

[0034] Braking 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 an ECU. The ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from driving assistance device 100 or driving operator 80, so that a brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. Braking device 210 may include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by operation of a brake pedal included in driving operator 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. Note that braking device 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from driving assistance device 100 to transmit hydraulic pressure from a master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0035] 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 in accordance with information (for example, a command steering angle) input from the driving assistance device 100 or the driving operator 80, and performs processing such as changing the direction of the steered wheels.

[0036] [Driving assistance devices] The driving assistance device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a driving state detection unit 120, a contact possibility determination unit 130, a driving control unit 140, a restriction unit 150, an HMI control unit 160, and a storage unit 170. The recognition unit 110, the driving state detection unit 120, the contact possibility determination unit 130, the driving control unit 140, the restriction unit 150, and the HMI control unit 160 are realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Furthermore, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or may be realized by a combination of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (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. The HMI 30 and the HMI control unit 160 are examples of an "output unit."

[0037] For example, the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 are configured internally so that instructions from the driving support device 100 to the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 are executed with priority over detection results from the driving operator 80. Regarding braking, if the braking force based on the operation amount of the brake pedal 86 is greater than the instruction from the driving support device 100, the latter may be executed with priority. Furthermore, communication priority in an in-vehicle local area network (LAN) may be used as a mechanism for executing instructions from the driving support device 100 with priority. Regarding steering, the steering force based on the instruction from the driving support device 100 may be added together with the steering force based on the operation amount of the steering wheel 82 by the driver.

[0038] The storage unit 170 may be realized by the various storage devices described above, or a solid-state drive (SSD), an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a read-only memory (ROM), or a random-access memory (RAM). The storage unit 170 stores, for example, programs and various other information. The storage unit 170 may also store the map information described above (first map information 54, second map information 62).

[0039] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M based on information input from an external environment detection device. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position, speed, acceleration, and other status of objects present in the vicinity (e.g., within a predetermined distance from the host vehicle M). Examples of objects include other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc. The position of an object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the host vehicle M (e.g., 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 "behavior state" (e.g., whether or not the object is changing lanes or is about to change lanes). The recognition unit 110 also recognizes the relative position and relative speed of the object.

[0040] The recognition unit 110 also recognizes, for example, the lane in which the host 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 and dashed lines) obtained from the second map information 62 with the pattern of road dividing lines around the host vehicle M recognized from an image captured by the camera 10. 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. This recognition may take into account the position of the host vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and processing results by the INS. The recognition unit 110 recognizes obstacles, stop lines, red lights, toll booths, and other road phenomena from the object recognition results. Obstacles are objects that the host vehicle M needs to avoid contacting, and include, for example, other vehicles.

[0041] When recognizing the driving lane, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the deviation of the reference point of the host vehicle M from the center of the lane and the angle it forms with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the traveling direction of the host vehicle M as the relative position and attitude of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the reference point of the host vehicle M with respect to either side edge of the driving lane (a road dividing line or a road boundary) as the relative position of the host vehicle M with respect to the driving lane.

[0042] The driving state detection unit 120 detects the driving state of an occupant (e.g., the driver) of the vehicle M. The driving state is, for example, the operation state of the driver's driving controls 80 (information indicating the degree to which the controls are being operated). The operation state includes, for example, the steering state of the steering wheel 82. The steering state includes, for example, information on the steering angular velocity detected by the SW sensor 82A. The steering state may also include information indicating whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82 or steering information other than the steering angular velocity. The operation state of the driving controls 80 may also include the opening degrees of the accelerator pedal 84 and the brake pedal 86 detected by the AP sensor 84A and the BP sensor 86A, and operation states such as acceleration and deceleration based on the amount of change in the opening degrees.

[0043] Furthermore, driving state detection unit 120 may detect the driving state of the driver based on the analysis results of camera images captured by driver monitor camera 70. For example, driving state detection unit 120 may detect whether the driver is gripping steering wheel 82 based on the position, shape, movement, etc. of the hands included in the camera image, or detect the driving state such as the steering direction and steering amount based on the movement and direction of the gripping hands. Furthermore, driving state detection unit 120 may detect the driving state (operation state) of the driver by combining the detection results of each sensor of driving operator 80 with the analysis results of the camera image.

[0044] The contact possibility determination unit 130 recognizes whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle (e.g., another vehicle) based on the surrounding conditions (external environment information) recognized by the recognition unit 110. For example, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle based on a contact margin value with respect to another vehicle (leading vehicle) present ahead of the host vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions. The contact margin value is an index value indicating a margin of error, and is, for example, a value set based on a time to collision (TTC), but may also be a value set based on a time headway (THW). The time to collision (TTC) is derived, for example, by dividing the relative distance by the relative speed in the relationship between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle. Furthermore, the time headway (THW) is derived, for example, by dividing the relative distance (inter-vehicle distance) by the speed of the host vehicle M. The time to contact TTC may be derived using, for example, a trained model or a predetermined function that outputs the time to contact TTC when the positions and speeds of the host vehicle M and the other vehicle are input, or may be derived using a correspondence table that associates the relative speed and relative position with the time to contact TTC. The above derivation method also applies to the time to headway THW. For example, the shorter the time to contact TTC (or the time to headway THW), the smaller the margin of error (in other words, the longer the time to contact, the greater the margin of error). For example, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle when the contact margin value is less than a threshold, and determines that there is no possibility of contact when the contact margin value is equal to or greater than the threshold.

[0045] The driving control unit 140 performs driving control (autonomous driving) to control one or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M based on at least one of the recognition result of the recognition unit 110, the detection result of the driving state detection unit 120, and the determination result of the contact possibility determination unit 130. For example, the driving control unit 140 generates a target trajectory (including information about steering and speed) so that the host vehicle M travels in accordance with the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 61 based on the surrounding conditions and various driving controls described below, generates target values ​​(target steering angle and target speed) so that the host vehicle M travels along the generated target trajectory, and performs driving control according to the generated target values.

[0046] Furthermore, the driving control unit 140 performs lane keeping control (LKAS: Lane Keeping Assistance System) of the host vehicle M so that a reference point (e.g., center of gravity or center) of the host vehicle M is positioned in the center of the lane in which the host vehicle M is traveling, based on the surrounding conditions. In the LKAS control, for example, when the steering direction based on the steering torque applied by the driver to the steering wheel 82 is a direction in which the host vehicle M deviates from the center of the lane (or the traveling lane), a reaction force is applied to the steering operation in that direction to suppress deviation from the center of the lane (or the traveling lane). Furthermore, in the LKAS control under normal circumstances (e.g., when there is no possibility of contact with an obstacle), a limit (upper limit value) is set on the amount of steering operation by the driver, and deviation of the host vehicle M from the traveling lane due to excessive steering operation is suppressed.

[0047] In addition, the driving control unit 140 may perform various driving controls such as ALCA (Auto Lane Change Assist) that assists the host vehicle M in changing lanes from the driving lane to an adjacent lane based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110, ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control System) control that drives the host vehicle M by following the vehicle ahead, CMBS (Collision Mitigation Brake System) control that warns the occupants and controls the braking of the host vehicle M when there is a possibility of contact with an obstacle, and TJP (Traffic Jam Pilot) control that drives the host vehicle M while maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle ahead while adapting to changes in the vehicle speed of the vehicle ahead when driving at low speeds such as in a traffic jam.

[0048] The driving control unit 140 also includes, for example, a contact avoidance control unit 142. The contact avoidance control unit 142 executes steering control to assist the driver's steering state when the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines that there is a possibility that the host vehicle M will come into contact with a nearby obstacle and the driving state detection unit 120 detects that the driver's steering is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (steering control start threshold). For example, the contact avoidance control unit 142 executes steering control to assist the driver's steering so that the behavior of the host vehicle M is stabilized after the driver's steering operation to avoid contact with the obstacle. In this steering control, for example, as with the LKAS control, a limit value (upper limit value) is set for the steering amount to prevent sudden behavior beyond the driver's expectation and to suppress further lateral movement into the adjacent lane after a steering operation to move the host vehicle M laterally into the adjacent lane to avoid contact with the obstacle is performed. Furthermore, for example, when avoidance is possible within the lane in which the host vehicle M is traveling, the contact avoidance control unit 142 may perform steering control to move the host vehicle M in a direction that will not contact the obstacle within a range that does not deviate from the same lane, without relying on a steering operation by the driver. Note that the steering control by the contact avoidance control unit 142 may be performed, for example, when the speed of the host vehicle M is equal to or greater than a predetermined speed. Furthermore, instead of (or in addition to) the above-described steering control, the contact avoidance control unit 142 may perform acceleration / deceleration control to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and the obstacle.

[0049] For example, when receiving an instruction from an occupant, the driving control unit 140 may execute or terminate a predetermined driving control in accordance with the instruction. Furthermore, when the driver performs a predetermined operation on the driving operators 80, such as the steering wheel 82, accelerator pedal 84, or brake pedal 86, while the predetermined driving control is being executed, the driving control unit 140 may perform override control to terminate the driving control being executed and switch to manual driving. Furthermore, when an abnormality such as a malfunction is detected by the vehicle sensors 40, the driving control unit 140 may output abnormality information indicating the nature of the abnormality to the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, the steering device 220, etc., and perform control such as suppressing operation.

[0050] The limiting unit 150 adjusts a limit value (upper limit value, limiter) related to the driver's steering in accordance with the steering state of the driver. The limit value includes, for example, a first upper limit value for the driver's steering when the contact avoidance control unit 142 is not performing steering control, and a second upper limit value for the driver's steering when the contact avoidance control unit 142 is performing steering control. The first upper limit value is, for example, the upper limit value during the LKAS control described above. For example, when the driver's steering state exceeds the first upper limit value, the limiting unit 150 adjusts the second upper limit value in accordance with the steering state of the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit 120. When the contact avoidance control unit 142 is performing steering control, the driving control unit 140 performs steering control so that the steering state of the steering control does not exceed the second upper limit value, and when the steering control is not being performed (when driving control other than contact avoidance control is being executed), the driving control unit 140 performs steering control so that the steering state of the steering control does not exceed the first upper limit value. Note that even when steering control is not being performed, the limiting unit 150 may allow a steering state within a predetermined range that exceeds the first upper limit value if a predetermined condition is satisfied, such as there being a high possibility that operation control will be executed. Details of the processing by the limiting unit 150 will be described later.

[0051] The HMI control unit 160 provides (notifies) information to the occupant by causing the HMI 30 to output predetermined information. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the driving of the vehicle M, such as information related to the state of the vehicle M and information related to driving control. The information related to the state of the vehicle M includes, for example, the speed of the vehicle M, engine speed, shift position, etc. The information related to driving control includes, for example, the type of driving control being executed, the reason for activation of the driving control, the status of the driving control, etc. The information related to driving control may also include information related to a driver's attention or warning associated with the driving control to be executed. The predetermined information may also include information related to the current location or destination of the vehicle M, the remaining amount of fuel, etc., and may also include information unrelated to driving control of the vehicle M, such as television programs, content (e.g., movies) stored on a storage medium such as a DVD, etc.

[0052] For example, the HMI control unit 160 may generate an image including the predetermined information described above and display the generated image on the display unit 32 of the HMI 30, or may generate sound indicating the predetermined information and output the generated sound from the speaker 34 of the HMI 30. The timing at which the image or sound is output may be, for example, when information is obtained from the vehicle sensor 40 or each component of the driving assistance device 100, when driving control is started or stopped, when information is received from the outside by the communication device 20, when the image to be displayed is switched, when the host vehicle M enters a predetermined state, etc. Furthermore, the HMI control unit 160 may output the information received by the HMI 30 to the driving state detection unit 120, the driving control unit 140, etc.

[0053] [Restriction section] Next, the details of the processing of the limiting unit 150 will be described. Note that the following description will mainly focus on the adjustment of the second upper limit value. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the setting of the second upper limit value in contact avoidance control. The example of FIG. 2 shows lanes L1 and L2 in which vehicles can travel in the same direction (X-axis direction in the figure) and lane L3 in which vehicles can travel in the opposite direction to lanes L1 and L2 (-X-axis direction in the figure). Lane L1 is divided by road dividing lines DL1 and DL2, and lane L2 is divided by road dividing lines DL2 and DL3. Road dividing line DL2 is a dividing line that allows a lane change between lanes L1 and L2. In the example of FIG. 2, time T0 is the earliest time, and times T1, T2, T3, and T4 are latest in that order. Also, at time T0, the host vehicle M1 is traveling at a speed VM along the lane L1 in the extension direction, another vehicle m1 ahead of the host vehicle M is traveling at a speed Vm1 along the lane L1 in the extension direction, and another vehicle m2 is traveling at a speed Vm2 along the lane L3 in the opposite direction to the host vehicle M along the extension direction. The other vehicles m1 and m2 are examples of "obstacles." The example of FIG. 2 also shows the driver's driving state (hereinafter referred to as the driver state) and the operation of the driving assistance device 100 over time, as well as changes in the driver input, limit value (upper limit value), and command value related to the steering angle speed. In the example of FIG. 2, the first upper limit value is set to, for example, a limit value used in LKAS control, and at time T0, the first upper limit value and the second upper limit value are the same value.

[0054] First, at time T0, the driving control unit 140 is executing driving control (for example, LKAS control) based on the surrounding circumstances. In this case, the driver state detected by the driving state detection unit 120 is no operation. No operation means, for example, a state in which no steering operation (driver input) is being performed (for example, a state in which the steering wheel 82 is only gripped when driving in a straight line, etc.).

[0055] The contact possibility determination unit 130 continuously determines whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1 based on the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M recognized by the recognition unit 110. Assume that at time T0, the contact possibility determination unit 130 determines that there is a possibility of contact because the contact margin time TTC between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 is less than a predetermined time. In this case, the HMI control unit 160 outputs an alarm via the HMI 30 to alert the driver or to notify them of the possibility of contact.

[0056] At time T1, while a warning is being output, the driver performs a driving operation including a steering operation using the steering wheel 82. When a driver input (for example, steering torque) for the steering operation is received, the contact avoidance control unit 142 generates a command steering angle based on the steering torque and the actual steering angle obtained from the vehicle sensor 40, and outputs information about the generated command steering angle to the steering device 220. The steering device 220 drives the electric motor in accordance with the command steering angle and performs control such as changing the direction of the steered wheels. In the example of FIG. 2, from time T1 to T2, the command steering angle (command steering angular velocity) increases as the steering angular velocity (increase in steering amount) due to the driver input increases. Also, in the example of Figure 2, if the driver input exceeds the first upper limit value before the execution of steering control is started, but driving control based on the first upper limit value of LKAS or the like is not being executed, or if there is a high possibility that operation control will be executed by the contact avoidance control unit 142 based on the surrounding conditions and the driver's operation status even while LKAS control is being executed (for example, if the amount of change in steering angle speed over a specified time is equal to or greater than a threshold value), a command steering angle exceeding the first upper limit value is generated, and the second upper limit value is also adjusted in advance.

[0057] Furthermore, during the period from time T1 to time T2, even if there is a driver input, there is still a possibility that the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 will come into contact with each other, so the HMI control unit 160 continues to output a warning.

[0058] Next, at time T2, the steering angular velocity of the driver input exceeds the steering assist start threshold, so the contact avoidance control unit 142 executes steering control for the driver's steering operation. In the steering control, for example, control is performed to limit the steering amount based on the second upper limit value so that the amount of lateral movement of the host vehicle M does not become excessive due to a sudden steering operation that exceeds the operating state caused by the driver's operation. In this situation, the limiting unit 150 adjusts the second upper limit value until a predetermined time has elapsed since the execution of the steering control so that the amount of lateral movement necessary to avoid contact with the other vehicle m1 does not become insufficient due to the steering limit imposed by the second upper limit value.

[0059] Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining the adjustment of the second upper limit value by the limiting unit 150. The example of Fig. 3 shows a flow in which the second upper limit value is adjusted (limiter adjustment) based on the command steering angle from the system side (driving control unit 140), the steering torque input by the driver, and the actual steering angle (steering angle speed) obtained from the vehicle sensor 40, and the final command steering angle output to the steering device 220 is obtained based on the adjustment content.

[0060] In the example of FIG. 3, the limiting unit 150 multiplies a value including the positive and negative signs of the steering torque by a value including the positive and negative signs corresponding to the actual steering angle, and makes a determination based on the result of the multiplication. Since positive and negative signs correspond to left and right directions, if the sign of the multiplication result is positive (>0), it is determined that the steering direction based on the steering torque and the direction of the actual steering angle are the same direction. In other words, if the sign is positive, it can be determined that the actual steering angle corresponds to the driver's steering operation (manual driving) (in other words, it is not driving control (system-side control)). Therefore, if the sign is positive, the limiting unit 150 adjusts the second limiting value according to the driver's steering angular velocity based on the steering torque.

[0061] For example, the limiting unit 150 sets the second upper limit value within a predetermined range (for example, approximately ±several percent of the maximum value) from the maximum value of the driver's steering state (steering angular velocity). Therefore, as shown in Fig. 2, the second upper limit value increases in response to an increase in the steering torque (steering angular velocity) due to the driver input. Therefore, the command steering angle shown in Fig. 3 is not restricted by the second upper limit value, and is output to the steering device 220 as the final command steering angle.

[0062] In this way, by adjusting the second upper limit value to be equal to or greater than the maximum value of the steering torque, the lateral movement of the host vehicle M (movement in the road width direction (Y-axis direction)) required to avoid contact can be performed without the steering operation being suppressed by the adjusted second upper limit value. Furthermore, by setting it to the maximum value, excessive steering output due to steering control can be suppressed.

[0063] Note that the limiting unit 150 adjusts the second upper limit value when the steering torque and the actual steering angle are in the same direction as shown in Fig. 3, and does not need to adjust the second upper limit value when they are in opposite directions (when the sign is negative). When the steering torque is in a direction different from the actual steering angle, control on the system side is being executed without the driver's steering operation, or steering is being performed in a direction that reduces the actual steering angle, so it is possible to reduce the processing load by suppressing unnecessary adjustment of the upper limit value.

[0064] In the example of FIG. 2, the steering angular velocity due to the driver input decreases before time T3 is reached. In this case, the limiting unit 150 may maintain the state of the second upper limit value set according to the maximum value, as shown in FIG. 2. Since the driver is steering at this point, there is a possibility that the steering angular velocity will increase again. Therefore, by maintaining the state of the second upper limit value, it is possible to suppress the increase and decrease fluctuation of the second upper limit value. Note that the limiting unit 150 may adjust the second upper limit value so as to follow the decrease in the steering angular velocity.

[0065] At time T3, the driver state is in a no-operation state. That is, at time T3, for example, the driver determines that contact has been avoided by his / her own steering operation and is not performing a steering operation. In this case, the contact avoidance control unit 142 continues to execute steering control to stabilize the host vehicle M. For example, based on the surrounding situation recognized by the recognition unit 110, the contact avoidance control unit 142 generates a target trajectory (target steering angle) for the host vehicle M that allows the host vehicle M to change lanes from the current driving lane (lane L1) to an adjacent lane (lane L2) but prevents the host vehicle M from moving to the adjacent lane (lane L3) beyond that, and generates a command steering angle (command steering angular velocity as shown in FIG. 2) and outputs it to the steering device 220 so that the host vehicle can travel along the generated target trajectory. The steering device 220 executes steering based on the command steering angle. This achieves stabilization of the behavior of the host vehicle M as shown in FIG. 2.

[0066] At time T3, when the driver finishes the steering operation (when no operation is performed), the limiting unit 150 reduces the adjusted second upper limit value over time so that the second upper limit value approaches the first upper limit value. The reduction rate may be a fixed value or a variable value based on road conditions, the speed VM of the host vehicle M, and the like. In this way, at the initial stage of operation of the contact avoidance control, the second upper limit value is increased to ease the steering and ensure the necessary lateral movement of the host vehicle M, and as the amount of necessary lateral movement decreases over time, the second upper limit value is reduced. This makes it possible to prevent the steering restriction from being relaxed more than necessary. The limiting unit 150 may reduce the second upper limit value when the steering angular velocity of the driver input decreases by more than a predetermined value, even if the driver is steering.

[0067] Furthermore, the limiting unit 150 may perform control so as to adjust the second upper limit value until a predetermined time has elapsed since the steering control was executed. This predetermined time is shorter than the time (predicted execution time) when the steering control is predicted to be executed. The predicted execution time is derived, for example, from the speed VM of the host vehicle M, the relative position and relative speed of the other vehicles m1 and m2, the road shape (lane width, number of lanes, curvature), the steering amount, and the like. For example, the predicted execution time is the time during which the host vehicle M can travel without deviating into a lane (lane L3) ahead of the adjacent lane (lane L2). The predetermined time may also be set to a time corresponding to the steering responsiveness of the host vehicle M (for example, approximately 2 to 4 seconds). In the example of FIG. 2, the second upper limit value is adjusted to return to its original value (the same value as the first upper limit value) at time T4 when the host vehicle M can stably travel within lane L2. At the end of the steering control, steering is performed to move into an adjacent lane and maintain the lane, so a normal limit value can be used. Therefore, by adjusting only the predetermined time period, excessive relaxation of the limit value can be suppressed, and behavior after a contact avoidance operation can be quickly stabilized.

[0068] Furthermore, since the steering control is caused by the driver's steering during the period from time T3 to time T4, the HMI control unit 160 may cause the HMI 30 to output instruction information to have the driver monitor the surroundings until the behavior of the host vehicle M stabilizes (until the amount of behavior change becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount). After time T4, the behavior of the host vehicle M becomes stable, so the second upper limit value is not adjusted and steering control continues.

[0069] Furthermore, for example, when a target steering angular velocity based on the driving control is input while the instructed steering angular velocity and the second upper limit value are decreasing, the driving control unit 140 executes control based on the decreasing second upper limit value. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of operation when an excessive target steering angular velocity is input while the instructed value and the limit value are decreasing. In the example of FIG. 4, the horizontal axis represents time [seconds], and the vertical axis represents steering angular velocity [deg / s]. For example, when a target steering angular velocity greater than the second upper limit value and the instructed steering angular velocity is input while they are decreasing as shown in FIG. 4, the limit unit 150 does not increase the second upper limit value but continues to decrease it. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the driving control unit 140 executes steering control according to an instructed steering angular velocity that does not exceed the second upper limit value. This enables more appropriate driving control even while the second upper limit value is being adjusted. Furthermore, since the driver is not operating the vehicle at this stage, increasing the second upper limit value to allow for larger vehicle movements can prevent the vehicle M from becoming unstable.

[0070] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example in which the function of the limiting unit 150 described above is applied to the control of the driving control unit 140. Note that the example of FIG. 5 mainly shows an example of functional blocks related to the steering control of the driving control unit 140 and the steering device 220. In the example of FIG. 5, the driving control unit 140 sets a target steering angle according to the current actual steering angle and target trajectory of the vehicle M, and sets a correction steering angle based on the deviation amount (e.g., steering response error) between the steering torque and the actual steering angle. The driving control unit 140 also limits the steering angular speed based on a limit value for the set target steering angle. Here, in order to adjust the limit value of the steering angular speed, the limiting unit 150 acquires the driver's steering angular speed based on the steering torque and the actual steering angle as shown in FIG. 3, and relaxes (adjusts) the limit value of the steering angular speed according to the acquired steering angular speed. The driving control unit 140 generates a command steering angle based on the target steering angle with the relaxed limit and the correction steering angle, and outputs the command steering angle to the steering device 220. The steering ECU of the steering device 220 performs steering angle control based on the command steering angle to drive the electric motor and change the direction of the steered wheels.

[0071] Furthermore, the driving control unit 140 may execute override control according to a steering amount such as steering torque, and in that case, a control request to switch from the ongoing driving control to manual driving is output to the steering device 220. The steering ECU performs state management based on the control request, and if steering angle control is being executed during the driving control, performs control to stop (terminate) the control. Furthermore, when the vehicle sensor 40 detects an abnormality related to the traveling of the host vehicle M (for example, a failure of a sensor device), the driving control unit 140 may output abnormality information to the steering device 220. In this case, the steering ECU controls the steering device 220 (stops the driving control) according to the abnormality detection. As shown in FIG. 5, in the steering control in the driving control unit 140, by executing the control by the above-mentioned limiting unit 150, it is possible to cause the host vehicle M to make the necessary lateral movement according to the steering control for avoiding contact with an obstacle, etc.

[0072] [Processing flow] Next, a description will be given of the processing executed by the driving support device 100 in the embodiment. Note that, of the processing executed by the driving support device 100, the following description will mainly focus on the steering control processing for adjusting the limit value in the contact avoidance control unit 142.

[0073] Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of driving control executed by the driving assistance device 100. In the example of Fig. 6, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M (step S100). Next, the contact possibility determination unit 130 derives a time to contact TTC between the host vehicle M and an obstacle based on the recognized surrounding conditions (step S110).

[0074] Next, the driving control unit 140 determines whether to perform steering control to avoid contact with an obstacle based on the contact time to contact TTC (step S120). If it is determined that steering control should be performed, the limiting unit 150 detects the driving state of the driver using the driving state detection unit 120 (step S130) and determines whether to adjust the steering limit value (the second upper limit value described above) based on the driving state (step S140). If it is determined that the steering limit value should be adjusted, the driving control unit 140 executes steering control (step S150). During steering control, the limiting unit 150 adjusts the second upper limit value according to the steering angular velocity of the driver until a predetermined time has elapsed since the steering control was executed (step S160). This ends the processing of this flowchart. If it is determined in the processing of step S120 that steering control should not be performed or if it is determined in the processing of step S140 that the steering limit value should not be adjusted, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0075] As described above, according to the embodiment, the driving assistance device 100 (an example of a vehicle control device) is equipped with a recognition unit 110 that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M, a driving state detection unit 120 that detects the driving state including steering by the occupant of the vehicle M, a driving control unit 140 that performs steering control to assist the occupant in steering when there is a possibility that the vehicle M may come into contact with a nearby obstacle based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110 and the driving state detection unit 120 detects that the occupant is steering more than a predetermined value, and a restriction unit 150 that adjusts the restriction value regarding the occupant's steering according to the occupant's steering state, thereby making it possible to perform more appropriate steering control according to the vehicle situation.

[0076] For example, if a normal steering limit value is used, there is a possibility that the necessary lateral movement cannot be ensured, but in the embodiment, in contact avoidance control triggered by steering by the driver, by adjusting the limit value (limiter) based on the steering by the driver, it is possible to ensure the lateral movement necessary for contact avoidance, and even if an excessive command value is input, it is possible to suppress steering more than necessary. Furthermore, according to the embodiment, by setting the limit value within the steering range of the driver, it is possible to set a limit value equivalent to the steering value of the driver, so it is possible to ensure the necessary lateral movement, and even if an excessive command value is input, it is possible to suppress operation more than the driver expects.

[0077] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the limit value is adjusted for only a predetermined time after the driver's steering, thereby ensuring the necessary lateral movement while preventing the limit value from being relaxed more than necessary. Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the limit value is adjusted so as to decrease over time toward the normal limit value, so that the upper limit value is increased at the start of execution of contact avoidance control to ensure the necessary lateral movement, and as the amount of necessary lateral movement decreases over time, the limit value is also decreased accordingly, thereby preventing the limit value from being relaxed more than necessary. Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the limit value is adjusted for a shorter time than the contact avoidance control, thereby preventing the limit value from being relaxed more than necessary.

[0078] It should be noted that the numerical values ​​shown in the above-described embodiment are merely examples and may be changed as appropriate depending on the vehicle type of the host vehicle M, road conditions, surrounding conditions, developer settings, etc. Also, in the above-described embodiment, at least one of the third driving control and the fourth driving control may be included in the second driving control from the viewpoint of being a driving control other than the first driving control.

[0079] The above-described embodiment can be expressed as follows. a storage medium for storing computer-readable instructions; a processor connected to the storage medium; The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: Recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle, Detecting a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined based on the recognition result that there is a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with a surrounding obstacle and when steering by the occupant is detected to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a steering control is executed to assist the occupant in steering; a limit value relating to the steering of the occupant is adjusted in accordance with the steering state of the occupant; Vehicle control device.

[0080] 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]

[0081] 10...camera, 12...radar device, 14...LIDAR, 16...object recognition device, 20...communication device, 30...HMI, 40...vehicle sensor, 50...navigation device, 60...MPU, 70...driver monitor camera, 80...driving operator, 82...steering wheel, 84...accelerator pedal, 86...brake pedal, 100...driving assistance device, 110...recognition unit, 120...driving state detection unit, 130...contact possibility determination unit, 140...driving control unit, 142...contact avoidance control unit, 150...limitation unit, 160...HMI control unit, 170...memory unit, 200...driving force output device, 210...brake device, 220...steering device, M...host vehicle

Claims

1. a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; a driving state detection unit that detects a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; a driving control unit that executes steering control for contact avoidance to assist the occupant in steering when the host vehicle is likely to come into contact with a surrounding obstacle based on the recognition result of the recognition unit and the driving state detection unit detects that the occupant is steering at a predetermined value or more; and a limiting unit that adjusts a limit value related to the steering of the occupant so as to be relaxed in accordance with a steering state of the occupant when steering control for maintaining the driving lane of the host vehicle is being executed, the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is not being performed, and a second upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is being performed, the driving control unit performs steering control so that the steering state during the steering control for contact avoidance does not exceed the second upper limit value, the limiting unit sets the second upper limit value within a predetermined range from a maximum value of the steering state of the occupant detected by the driving state detecting unit. Vehicle control device.

2. a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; a driving state detection unit that detects a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; a driving control unit that executes steering control for contact avoidance to assist the occupant in steering when the host vehicle is likely to come into contact with a surrounding obstacle based on the recognition result of the recognition unit and the driving state detection unit detects that the occupant is steering at a predetermined value or more; and a limiting unit that adjusts a limit value related to the steering of the occupant so as to be relaxed in accordance with a steering state of the occupant when steering control for maintaining the driving lane of the host vehicle is being executed, the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is not being performed, and a second upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is being performed, the driving control unit performs steering control so that the steering state during the steering control for contact avoidance does not exceed the second upper limit value, the limiting unit adjusts the second upper limit value until a predetermined time has elapsed since the steering control for contact avoidance was executed, The predetermined time is shorter than a time period during which the steering control for contact avoidance is predicted to be executed. Vehicle control device.

3. a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; a driving state detection unit that detects a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; a driving control unit that executes steering control for contact avoidance to assist the occupant in steering when the host vehicle is likely to come into contact with a surrounding obstacle based on the recognition result of the recognition unit and the driving state detection unit detects that the occupant is steering at a predetermined value or more; and a limiting unit that adjusts a limit value related to the steering of the occupant so as to be relaxed in accordance with a steering state of the occupant when steering control for maintaining the driving lane of the host vehicle is being executed, the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is not being performed, and a second upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is being performed, the driving control unit performs steering control so that the steering state during the steering control for contact avoidance does not exceed the second upper limit value, the limiting unit adjusts the second upper limit value in accordance with the steering state of the occupant when the steering state of the occupant detected by the driving state detecting unit exceeds the first upper limit value. Vehicle control device.

4. the limiting unit reduces the adjusted second upper limit value over time so as to approach the first upper limit value. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

5. The computer Recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle, Detecting a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined based on the recognition result that there is a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with a surrounding obstacle and steering by the occupant is detected to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a steering control for contact avoidance is executed to assist the occupant in steering; When a steering control for maintaining the vehicle's traveling lane is being executed, a restriction value related to the steering of the occupant is adjusted so as to be relaxed in accordance with the steering state of the occupant; the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is not being performed, and a second upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is being performed, performing steering control so that the steering state during the steering control for contact avoidance does not exceed the second upper limit value; The second upper limit value is set within a predetermined range from the maximum value of the detected steering state of the occupant. Vehicle control method.

6. The computer Recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle, Detecting a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined based on the recognition result that there is a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with a surrounding obstacle and steering by the occupant is detected to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a steering control for contact avoidance is executed to assist the occupant in steering; When a steering control for maintaining the vehicle's traveling lane is being executed, a restriction value related to the steering of the occupant is adjusted so as to be relaxed in accordance with the steering state of the occupant; the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is not being performed, and a second upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is being performed, performing steering control so that the steering state during the steering control for contact avoidance does not exceed the second upper limit value; adjusting the second upper limit value until a predetermined time has elapsed since the steering control for contact avoidance was executed; The predetermined time is shorter than a time period during which the steering control for contact avoidance is predicted to be executed. Vehicle control method.

7. The computer Recognizes the surrounding situation of the vehicle, Detecting a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined based on the recognition result that there is a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with a surrounding obstacle and steering by the occupant is detected to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a steering control for contact avoidance is executed to assist the occupant in steering; When a steering control for maintaining the vehicle's traveling lane is being executed, a restriction value related to the steering of the occupant is adjusted so as to be relaxed in accordance with the steering state of the occupant; the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is not being performed, and a second upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is being performed, performing steering control so that the steering state during the steering control for contact avoidance does not exceed the second upper limit value; When the detected steering state of the occupant exceeds the first upper limit value, the second upper limit value is adjusted in accordance with the steering state of the occupant. Vehicle control method.

8. On the computer, Recognize the surrounding situation of your vehicle, Detecting a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined based on the result of the recognition that there is a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with a surrounding obstacle and steering by the occupant is detected to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a steering control for contact avoidance is executed to assist the occupant in steering; When a steering control for maintaining the driving lane of the host vehicle is being executed, a restriction value related to the steering of the occupant is adjusted so as to be relaxed in accordance with a steering state of the occupant; the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is not being performed, and a second upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is being performed, executing steering control so that the steering state during the steering control for contact avoidance does not exceed the second upper limit value; setting the second upper limit value within a predetermined range from a maximum value of the detected steering state of the occupant; program.

9. On the computer, Recognize the surrounding situation of your vehicle, Detecting a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined based on the result of the recognition that there is a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with a surrounding obstacle and steering by the occupant is detected to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a steering control for contact avoidance is executed to assist the occupant in steering; When a steering control for maintaining the driving lane of the host vehicle is being executed, a restriction value related to the steering of the occupant is adjusted so as to be relaxed in accordance with a steering state of the occupant; the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is not being performed, and a second upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is being performed, executing steering control so that the steering state during the steering control for contact avoidance does not exceed the second upper limit value; adjusting the second upper limit value until a predetermined time has elapsed since the steering control for contact avoidance was executed; The predetermined time is shorter than a time period during which the steering control for contact avoidance is predicted to be executed. program.

10. On the computer, Recognize the surrounding situation of your vehicle, Detecting a driving state including steering by an occupant of the vehicle; When it is determined based on the result of the recognition that there is a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with a surrounding obstacle and steering by the occupant is detected to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value, a steering control for contact avoidance is executed to assist the occupant in steering; When a steering control for maintaining the driving lane of the host vehicle is being executed, a restriction value related to the steering of the occupant is adjusted so as to be relaxed in accordance with a steering state of the occupant; the limit value includes a first upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is not being performed, and a second upper limit value for steering when the steering control for contact avoidance is being performed, executing steering control so that the steering state during the steering control for contact avoidance does not exceed the second upper limit value; When the detected steering state of the occupant exceeds the first upper limit value, the second upper limit value is adjusted in accordance with the steering state of the occupant. program.

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