Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

Abstract

To make a more appropriate override determination according to the contents of vehicle control being executed.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device comprises: a recognition section that recognizes a surrounding situation of a vehicle; a vehicle control section that executes vehicle control for controlling at least one of acceleration / deceleration and steering of the vehicle when there is a probability of contact between the vehicle and an obstacle; and a driving state detection section that detects a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle. The vehicle control includes alarm control for notifying the occupant when the vehicle approaches the obstacle, and avoidance control for avoiding contact with the obstacle when the vehicle has approached further toward the obstacle than in the alarm control. The vehicle control device suspends the alarm control when steering operation equal to or more than a predetermined amount from a reference value is detected due to steering operation of the occupant detected by the driving state detection section during the alarm control, and does not suspend the avoidance control when steering operation equal to or more than a predetermined amount from the reference value is detected during the avoidance control.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 this regard, in recent years, a driving assistance device has been disclosed that, when it is determined that the driver has performed a collision avoidance steering operation, starts a collision avoidance steering assist control that automatically steers the steering wheels of the vehicle to avoid a collision between the vehicle and an obstacle, and terminates the control when a driver operation contrary to the control's intention (avoidance assist steering override) is detected during the execution of the control. The driving assistance device prohibits termination of the control upon detection of an avoidance assist steering override during a predetermined period from the start of the control (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-26207 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in preventive safety technology, vehicle control may be performed to alert vehicle occupants to their surroundings before implementing control to avoid contact between the vehicle and an object. However, such cases have not been considered when determining whether to make an override. Therefore, conventionally, there has been an issue in that it may not be possible to make an appropriate override decision according to the vehicle control being executed.

[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 make a more appropriate override decision depending on the vehicle control being executed, 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 includes a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; a vehicle control unit that executes vehicle control to control at least one of acceleration / deceleration or steering of the vehicle when there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle and an obstacle based on the recognition result of the recognition unit; and a driving state detection unit that detects the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle control includes warning control to notify the occupant when the vehicle approaches the obstacle, and avoidance control to avoid contact with the obstacle when the vehicle approaches the obstacle more closely than the warning control, and the vehicle control unit is configured to cancel the warning control when a steering operation by the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit during the warning control is detected to be a steering operation of a predetermined amount or more from a reference value, and not cancel the avoidance control when a steering operation of the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit is detected to be a steering operation of a predetermined amount or more from a reference value during the avoidance control.

[0007] (2) In the above aspect (1), the vehicle control unit stops the avoidance control when a steering operation toward the reference value is detected during the avoidance control.

[0008] (3): In the above aspect (1), when a steering operation that is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount from the reference value is first detected during the avoidance control, the vehicle control unit determines whether to terminate the avoidance control by performing a steering operation that returns the vehicle to the reference value.

[0009] (4): In the above aspect (1), the vehicle control unit detects a steering operation that is greater than a predetermined amount from the reference value during the avoidance control, and then stops the avoidance control if it detects a steering operation that returns to the reference value.

[0010] (5) In the above aspect (1), the steering operation includes an operation based on a steering change amount derived from the steering amount by the occupant and a steering angular velocity.

[0011] (6) In the above aspect (1), the warning control includes steering control to move the vehicle to the center of the driving lane.

[0012] (7) Another aspect of the present invention provides a vehicle control method in which a computer recognizes the surrounding conditions of a vehicle, and if there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle and an obstacle based on the recognition results, executes vehicle control to control at least one of acceleration / deceleration or steering of the vehicle, detects the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, and the vehicle control includes warning control to notify the occupant if the vehicle approaches the obstacle, and avoidance control to avoid contact with the obstacle if the vehicle approaches the obstacle more quickly than the warning control, and if a steering operation by the occupant that is greater than a predetermined amount from a reference value is detected during the warning control, the warning control is discontinued, and if a steering operation by the occupant that is greater than the predetermined amount from a reference value is detected during the avoidance control, the avoidance control is not discontinued.

[0013] (8): Another aspect of the present invention provides a program that causes a computer to recognize the situation around a vehicle, and, if there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle and an obstacle based on the recognition results, executes vehicle control to control at least one of acceleration / deceleration or steering of the vehicle, and detects the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, and the vehicle control includes warning control to notify the occupant if the vehicle approaches the obstacle, and avoidance control to avoid contact with the obstacle if the vehicle approaches the obstacle more quickly than the warning control, and cancels the warning control if a steering operation by the occupant that is greater than a predetermined amount from a reference value is detected during the warning control, and does not cancel the avoidance control if a steering operation by the occupant that is greater than a predetermined amount from the reference value is detected during the avoidance control. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the above aspects (1) to (8), it is possible to make a more appropriate override decision depending on the content of the vehicle control currently being executed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle on which a vehicle control device according to an embodiment is mounted; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of a vehicle control unit 140. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the content of vehicle control relating to contact avoidance. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the details of attention-attraction control. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the content of contact warning control. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the content of automatic steering avoidance control. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining steering control after a driver steering trigger. [Figure 8] 10 is a diagram for explaining the speed conditions of the host vehicle M under which control is started for each operation phase. FIG. [Figure 9]FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining override control for braking control. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining steering override. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the timing of determining whether to override during vehicle control. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the rise and fall of the steering torque change amount; [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the timing of determining a driver steering trigger. [Figure 14] 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100 in the embodiment. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an override determination process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] 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.

[0017] [Overall configuration] 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. The vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device (hereinafter referred to as the subject vehicle M) is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. 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.

[0018] 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."

[0019] 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 host vehicle M. For example, when capturing an image of the area ahead of the host vehicle M, 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 area around the host vehicle M. The camera 10 may be a stereo camera.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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."

[0023] 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.

[0024] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display unit 32 and a speaker 34. The display unit 32 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device. The display unit 32 displays various images (including videos) in the embodiment. The display unit 32 may be configured integrally with the input unit as a touch panel. The speaker 34 outputs a predetermined sound (for example, an alarm). Furthermore, the HMI 30 may include, in addition to (or instead of) the display unit 32 and the speaker 34, a microphone, a buzzer, a vibration generator (vibrator), a touch panel, a switch, a key, or the like.

[0025] 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 the yaw rate (for example, the rotational angular velocity around a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the host vehicle M), a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle (the angle (actual steering angle) or torque amount of the steering wheel of the host vehicle M), and a direction sensor that detects the direction of the host vehicle M. 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.

[0026] 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.

[0027] 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, 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.

[0028] The driver monitor camera 70 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitor camera 70 is attached to any location on the 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 an occupant (hereinafter referred to as the driver) seated in the driver's seat of the 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 vehicle M. Therefore, the image captured by the driver monitor camera 70 includes the driver and the steering wheel 82, and it is also possible to determine from the captured image whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82. The driver monitor camera 70 captures images of the interior of the vehicle M, including the driver, from its installed position at predetermined intervals and outputs the captured images to the driving assistance device 100.

[0029] The driving operators 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82, an accelerator pedal 84, a brake pedal 86, a turn signal switch, 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.

[0030] For example, the steering wheel 82 is provided with a steering wheel sensor (SW sensor) 82A. The SW sensor 82A detects whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82 by using a contact sensor, a pressure sensor, or the like. The SW sensor 82A also detects the amount of operation (steering torque, steering amount) and operation speed (steering angular velocity) of the steering wheel 82 input (operated) by the driver. The SW sensor 82A may also detect the rate of change in operation (torque change rate). 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. In this case, the SW sensor 82A detects the amount of operation according to the respective form.

[0031] 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. A brake pedal sensor (BP sensor) 86A is provided to the brake pedal 86. 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.

[0032] 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 information input from the driving operator 80.

[0033] 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 information input from 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.

[0034] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steered wheels. 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 driving operator 80.

[0035] [Driving assistance devices] The driving assistance device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a contact possibility determination unit 120, a driving state detection unit 130, a vehicle control unit 140, an HMI control unit 150, and a storage unit 160. The recognition unit 110, the contact possibility determination unit 120, the driving state detection unit 130, the vehicle control unit 140, and the HMI control unit 150 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 control unit 150 is an example of a "notification control unit."

[0036] 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.

[0037] The storage unit 160 may be realized by the above-mentioned various storage devices, or a solid state drive (SSD), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), or the like. The storage unit 160 stores, for example, programs, information used by components within the driving assistance device 100, and various other information. The storage unit 160 may also store the above-mentioned map information (first map information 54, second map information 62).

[0038] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M based on information input from an external environment detection device. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position (relative position, inter-vehicle distance), speed (relative speed), acceleration, and other states of objects present in the vicinity (e.g., within a predetermined distance from the 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 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 vehicle is changing lanes or is about to change lanes). The recognition unit 110 also recognizes the relative position and relative speed of the object.

[0039] 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 must avoid contacting, and include, for example, other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, etc.

[0040] 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.

[0041] The contact possibility determination unit 120 determines 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 120 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, 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 between the host vehicle M and another vehicle by the relative speed. 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 contact margin time TTC may be derived using, for example, a trained model or a predetermined function that outputs the contact margin time TTC when the positions and velocities of the host vehicle M and the other vehicle are input, or may be derived using a correspondence table in which the relative speed and relative position are associated with the contact margin time TTC. The above derivation method also applies to the inter-vehicle time THW. For example, the shorter the contact margin time TTC (or the inter-vehicle time THW), the smaller the contact margin value (in other words, the longer the contact margin time, the larger the contact margin value). For example, the contact possibility determination unit 120 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. In the following, the contact margin time TTC will be described as an example of the contact margin value.

[0042] The driving state detection unit 130 detects the driving state of an occupant (driver) of the host vehicle M. The driving state includes, for example, information regarding whether the steering wheel 82 is being gripped or not, or information regarding the steering operation amount (steering torque, steering torque change amount). The driving state may also include information regarding the driver's steering speed and steering angle speed (the speed required to reach a predetermined steering angle amount). In addition to (or instead of) the above, the driving state may also be at least one of an accelerator operation or operation amount (opening) of the accelerator pedal 84 and a brake operation or operation amount (opening) of the brake pedal 86. The driving state is acquired based on, for example, detection results of the SW sensor 82A, the AP sensor 84A, and the BP sensor 86A, or information obtained from the vehicle sensor 40 and the driver monitor camera 70. The driving state detection unit 130 may also detect a state in which the driver is not performing a driving operation (steering operation, accelerator operation, brake operation) based on the detection results of each sensor.

[0043] Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 130 may detect that the driver's state is not suitable for driving based on the analysis result of the image captured by the driver monitor camera 70. For example, based on the analysis result of the image, the driving state detection unit 130 detects that the driver's state is not suitable for driving when the driver is not monitoring the surroundings (particularly the front) of the vehicle M due to looking away or when a predetermined facial expression (a face that looks sleepy, a face that looks pained) or the like indicates that the driver's concentration is declining.

[0044] Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 130 may determine whether the driver is driving aimlessly based on the above-described detection results, etc. Aiming for the purpose of the present invention is, for example, driving in a state in which the driver's driving operation of the vehicle M becomes slow (or does not operate at all) due to a decline in the driver's attention, etc. For example, based on the detection results of the SW sensor 82A, the driving state detection unit 130 determines that the driver is driving aimlessly when the driver's steering operation of the steering wheel 82 is below a predetermined threshold for a predetermined time or more, and determines that the driver is not driving aimlessly when the state does not continue for a predetermined time or more.

[0045] Furthermore, instead of (or in addition to) the driver's steering operation, the driving state detection unit 130 may determine that the driver is driving absentmindedly when a state in which the amount of change in the opening of the accelerator pedal 84 and the brake pedal 86 is less than a threshold continues for a predetermined time or more based on the detection results of the AP sensor 84A and the BP sensor 86A. Furthermore, instead of (or in addition to) the above determination, the driving state detection unit 130 may determine that the driver is driving absentmindedly when a state in which it has been detected that the driver's state is not suitable for driving continues for a predetermined time or more, and may determine that the driver is not driving absentmindedly when this state does not continue for the predetermined time or more. Furthermore, the determination of absentminded driving may be made comprehensively based on the determination results of the above-mentioned multiple conditions.

[0046] The above-mentioned predetermined time may be a fixed time or a variable time. The predetermined time may be set, for example, according to the time to contact TTC between the host vehicle M and an obstacle (e.g., a preceding vehicle) in the vicinity of the host vehicle M and the speed of the host vehicle M. Specifically, the predetermined time is set to be shorter as the speed of the host vehicle M increases, or the predetermined time is set to be shorter as the time to contact TTC decreases. This makes it possible to more appropriately determine whether the host vehicle M is driving aimlessly, based on the situation of the host vehicle M and the surrounding situation, which is based on the speed of the host vehicle M and the positional relationship between the host vehicle M and the obstacle.

[0047] The vehicle control unit 140 controls either or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 140 may control either or both of the steering and acceleration / deceleration of the host vehicle M based on the processing results of at least one of the contact possibility determination unit 120 and the driving state detection unit 130. The vehicle control unit 140 may also perform control (override control) to stop the vehicle control currently being executed and switch to manual driving by the driver in accordance with a predetermined driving operation by the driver during vehicle control. Details of the processing by the vehicle control unit 140 will be described later.

[0048] The HMI control unit 150 notifies the occupants (including the driver) of predetermined information via the HMI 30. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the traveling 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, the engine speed, the shift position, etc. The information related to the driving control includes, for example, the type of driving control being executed (for example, gentle deceleration control, centering steering control, contact avoidance braking control, contact avoidance steering control), the reason for operating the driving control, the status of the driving control, etc. The information related to the driving control may include information related to a warning to the driver or a contact warning alarm. The predetermined information may include, for example, 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 the traveling control of the vehicle M, such as television programs, content (for example, movies) stored on a storage medium such as a DVD, etc.

[0049] For example, the HMI control unit 150 may generate an image including the above-described predetermined information 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 sound is output may be, for example, when driving control is started or stopped, when the image to be displayed is switched, or when the host vehicle M has entered a predetermined state. Furthermore, the HMI control unit 150 may output the information received by the HMI 30 to the vehicle control unit 140, etc.

[0050] [Vehicle control unit] Next, the vehicle control unit 140 will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a functional configuration diagram of the vehicle control unit 140. The vehicle control unit 140 includes, for example, a braking control unit 142 and a steering control unit 144. The vehicle control unit 140 performs warning control and avoidance control to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle through control by the braking control unit 142 and the steering control unit 144. The warning control is a control that is activated when the host vehicle M approaches an obstacle, and includes, for example, slow deceleration control and centering steering control, which will be described later. The avoidance control is a control that is activated when the host vehicle M approaches an obstacle more closely than the warning control would activate, and includes, for example, contact avoidance braking control and contact avoidance steering control, which will be described later.

[0051] When it is determined based on the recognition result of the recognition unit 110 that an obstacle is present ahead of the host vehicle M, the braking control unit 142 performs braking control of the host vehicle M based on the target deceleration of the host vehicle M. For example, the braking control unit 142 sets a deceleration state based on the contact margin time TTC between the host vehicle M and the obstacle, and executes deceleration control based on the set deceleration state. The braking control unit 142 includes, for example, a gradual deceleration control unit 142A, a contact avoidance braking control unit 142B, and a braking override control unit 142C.

[0052] The gradual deceleration control unit 142A performs gradual deceleration control of the host vehicle M when the recognition unit 110 determines that an obstacle (e.g., another vehicle) is present ahead of the host vehicle M. The gradual deceleration control is a control (attention control) that notifies the driver that an obstacle is approaching by a vehicle behavior (change in longitudinal G) of deceleration and urges the driver to pay attention to the obstacle, and is different from contact avoidance control that avoids contact with the obstacle (however, it may result in avoiding contact with the obstacle). For example, when it is determined that an obstacle is present ahead of the host vehicle M, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A derives a target deceleration of the host vehicle M and decelerates the host vehicle M to approach the derived target deceleration without the driver's operation. Furthermore, the gradual deceleration control may be performed when the driving state detection unit 130 detects that the driver is driving absentmindedly, or when the contact margin value satisfies an activation condition for the gradual deceleration control.

[0053] Furthermore, the slow deceleration control unit 142A may cancel the slow deceleration control when the driving state detection unit 130 detects that the driver has operated the accelerator (operated the accelerator pedal 84) at a predetermined value (for example, a predetermined amount) or more during the slow deceleration control. In this way, by determining the driver's intention based on the accelerator operation, it is possible to execute a more appropriate override control (control to switch to manual driving by the driver) for the slow deceleration control. The predetermined value (predetermined amount) may be changed based on the operation speed of the driver's accelerator operation. For example, the slow deceleration control unit 142A sets the predetermined value smaller when the operation speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined speed than when the operation speed is less than the predetermined speed, and sets the predetermined value larger when the operation speed is less than the predetermined speed than when the operation speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined speed. Furthermore, the slow deceleration control unit 142A may change the predetermined value according to the target deceleration, for example, and set the predetermined value larger as the target deceleration increases. This allows for more appropriate override determination to be achieved according to the driver's driving situation and the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M.

[0054] The contact avoidance braking control unit 142B performs emergency braking control to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle. For example, when it is determined that the host vehicle M may come into contact with an obstacle based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110, the contact avoidance braking control unit 142B performs braking control (deceleration control) to avoid contact. The braking control performed by the contact avoidance braking control unit 142B includes, for example, a Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS) control that assists in contact avoidance or damage mitigation. The braking control performed by the contact avoidance braking control unit 142B may be performed, for example, after gradual deceleration control, or may be performed when a contact margin value satisfies an activation condition for contact avoidance braking control.

[0055] The brake override control unit 142C determines whether or not to perform override control (override determination) based on the driver's driving operation (driver operation) during execution of the above-mentioned braking control (gradual deceleration control, contact avoidance braking control). The driver operation used for the override determination during braking control is accelerator operation or brake operation. When it is determined that override control is to be performed, the brake override control unit 142C stops the braking control being executed.

[0056] The steering control unit 144 controls the steering of the host vehicle M. The steering control unit 144 includes, for example, a centering steering control unit 144A, a contact avoidance steering control unit 144B, and a steering override control unit 144C.

[0057] When the recognition unit 110 determines that an obstacle exists ahead of the host vehicle M, the centering steering control unit 144A executes steering control (centering steering control) to move the host vehicle M toward the center of the driving lane. This steering control is not intended to avoid contact with the obstacle, but rather to notify the driver of an approaching obstacle and prompt attention to the obstacle by vehicle behavior (change in lateral G) that moves laterally toward the center (however, it may result in avoiding contact with the obstacle). This steering control can make the driver aware of an obstacle ahead early and contribute to driving to avoid contact. Note that the centering steering control may be executed when the driving state detection unit 130 detects that the driver is driving aimlessly, or may be executed when the contact margin value satisfies the steering control activation condition. In addition, the above-mentioned gradual deceleration control and centering steering control may be executed separately or simultaneously at the same timing (for example, at the attention-attention control stage).

[0058] The contact avoidance steering control unit 144B performs steering control of the host vehicle M to avoid contact between the host vehicle M and an obstacle. For example, when avoidance is possible within the driving lane of the host vehicle M, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B performs a steering operation 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. Furthermore, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B may perform steering control of the host vehicle M so that the behavior of the host vehicle M after the avoidance operation is stable after the driver's steering operation causes the host vehicle M to cross a dividing line that separates the driving lane and perform an avoidance operation against the obstacle. The steering control performed by the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B may be performed, for example, after a centering steering control, or may be performed when the contact margin value satisfies the operating condition of the steering control.

[0059] The steering override control unit 144C determines whether to perform override control based on a driver operation during execution of steering control (centering steering control, contact avoidance steering control). The driver operation used for determining whether to perform override control during steering control is a steering operation. When it is determined that override control is to be performed, the steering override control unit 144C stops the steering control being executed.

[0060] It should be noted that the vehicle control unit 140 may execute control other than the vehicle control described above. For example, the vehicle control unit 140 may perform steering control to keep the host vehicle M within the driving lane as LKAS (Lane Keeping Assistance System) control (lane maintenance control). In this case, the vehicle control unit 140 controls the steering device 220 to assist the driver's steering operation, for example, so that the host vehicle M does not deviate from the driving lane. The steering override control unit 144C may determine whether or not to perform override control based on a driver operation while the LKAS control is being executed, and may stop the LKAS control being executed if it is determined that override control should be executed.

[0061] [About vehicle control for collision avoidance] Next, the vehicle control for contact avoidance in the embodiment will be specifically described. In the following description, it is assumed that the obstacle is another vehicle (preceding vehicle) traveling ahead of the host vehicle M. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the vehicle control for contact avoidance. The example of FIG. 3 shows the vehicle control when it is determined that there is a possibility of contact based on the time to contact TTC. In the example of FIG. 3, it is assumed that time T1 is the earliest, followed by times T2, T3, T4, and T5 in that order. In the example of FIG. 3, it is assumed that the driving state detection unit 130 has been continuously determining whether or not the vehicle is driving aimlessly at a predetermined cycle since a stage before time T1.

[0062] First, at time T1, it is assumed that the contact possibility determination unit 120 determines that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle. When it is determined that there is a possibility of contact, the vehicle control unit 140 performs attention calling control ((1) in the figure) to call the driver's attention to the surroundings (particularly the traveling direction) based on the time to contact TTC and the result of the absentminded driving determination.

[0063] Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining the details of attention-calling control. The example of Fig. 4 shows two lanes L1 and L2 that can be traveled in the same direction (X-axis direction in the figure). Lane L1 is divided by road dividing lines LN1 and LN2, and lane L2 is divided by road dividing lines LN2 and LN3. In the example of Fig. 4, it is assumed that a host vehicle M is traveling on lane L1 at a speed VM, and another vehicle m1 is present ahead of the host vehicle M and is traveling on lane L1 at a speed Vm1.

[0064] 4, the vehicle control unit 140 performs the attention-calling control when the time to contact TTC based on the relative positions and relative speeds between the host vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 reaches time T2 and is determined to be less than the first predetermined time, and the driver is determined to be driving carelessly. Time T2 is, for example, the time when the time to contact TTC reaches approximately 3 to 4 seconds.

[0065] The attention calling control includes, for example, at least one of gradual deceleration control and centering steering control. The gradual deceleration control executed in the attention calling control is control in a first deceleration state. The gradual deceleration control unit 142A sets a target deceleration (first target deceleration) so that a load (longitudinal G) of a first upper limit deceleration (approximately 0.1 [G]) is applied to the driver in the traveling direction (longitudinal direction). In addition, in the attention calling control (first deceleration state), the gradual deceleration control unit 142A may first perform the gradual deceleration control at a first deceleration rate (e.g., 0.05 [G] longitudinal G), and then perform the deceleration control at a second deceleration rate (e.g., 0.1 [G] longitudinal G) that is greater than the first deceleration rate. By controlling the deceleration rate to increase in a stepwise manner in this way, it is possible to reduce the load on occupants such as the driver when the execution of the gradual deceleration control starts, and to prevent the occupants from being surprised by the gradual deceleration control.

[0066] 4, the centering steering control unit 144A performs centering steering control to steer the host vehicle M so that a reference point such as the center of gravity or center of the host vehicle M is positioned in the center of the driving lane (lane L1) based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110, map information, etc. In the example of FIG. 4, the vehicle control unit 140 generates a future target trajectory K1 of the host vehicle M corresponding to the gradual deceleration control and the centering steering control, and controls the steering and speed of the host vehicle M so that the host vehicle M travels along the target trajectory K1.

[0067] At time T2, the HMI control unit 150 may generate an image including information indicating the reason for activation of the driver's attention-request control (gradual deceleration control, centering steering control), and notify the driver by displaying the generated image on the display unit 32. The image may also include information urging attention. However, in this case, audio output may not be required. This allows the driver to be easily informed that the host vehicle M is approaching another vehicle m1, urging attention and prompting the driver to take early avoidance action.

[0068] Returning to Fig. 3, when the time to contact TTC reaches time T3 when the driver does not call attention to those around him / her (or perform override control) even after the above-mentioned attention alert control is performed, and the driver is determined to be driving carelessly, the contact attention warning control ((2) in Fig. 3) is performed. Time T3 is the time when the time to contact TTC reaches, for example, about 2 seconds.

[0069] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the details of the contact warning control. FIG. 5 shows a situation in which the time to contact TTC becomes 2 seconds without the driver operating the accelerator pedal, as in the situation shown in FIG. 4. In the contact warning control stage, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A sets a target deceleration (second target deceleration), executes gradual deceleration control according to the set second target deceleration, generates a target trajectory K2, and controls the host vehicle M to travel along the generated target trajectory K2. The gradual deceleration control executed in the contact warning control is control in the second deceleration state. In the second deceleration state, the gradual deceleration control unit 142A sets the target deceleration (second target deceleration) so that the driver is subjected to a load (longitudinal G) in the traveling direction (longitudinal direction) that is equal to or less than a second upper limit deceleration (approximately 0.2 G) and greater than the first upper limit deceleration. This makes it possible to more clearly notify the driver that the host vehicle M is approaching another vehicle m1. In this way, deceleration control is performed while increasing the deceleration rate as needed, which creates more time for the driver to notice the other vehicle m1, allowing the driver to drive in a way that allows them to avoid contact with the other vehicle m1 with ease.

[0070] During the contact warning control, the centering steering control unit 144A may execute centering steering control in addition to (or instead of) the gradual deceleration control. During the contact warning control, the HMI control unit 150 may execute control (warning escalation control) to highlight an image of the attention information displayed on the display unit 32 or to output an alarm to the speaker 34. This allows the driver to be notified by an image or sound that there is a high possibility of contact while further decelerating, and more clearly urges the driver to be careful and to take control to avoid contact. The above-mentioned attention calling control and contact warning control are controls executed as "warning control".

[0071] 3, after executing the contact attention warning control, the vehicle control unit 140 executes automatic steering avoidance control at time T4 when it determines that automatic avoidance is possible within the driving lane based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110 ((3) in FIG. 3). Time T4 is a time when the host vehicle M is closer to the other vehicle m1 than time T3 (for example, before the time to contact TTC is about 2 seconds).

[0072] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the content of the automatic steering avoidance control. The example of FIG. 6 illustrates a control in which the driver does not perform a predetermined accelerator operation after the execution of the contact attention warning control. In this case, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B recognizes the area of ​​the driving lane (lane L1) and the position of the other vehicle m1 based on the recognition result by the recognition unit 110, and if an avoidance space exists in the driving lane, generates a target trajectory K3 for traveling through the avoidance space, and executes steering control so that the host vehicle M travels along the generated target trajectory K3. In this case, acceleration / deceleration control may be executed by the vehicle control unit 140 as necessary. Furthermore, during the automatic steering avoidance control, the HMI control unit 150 may continue to execute the above-mentioned warning escalation control. As a result, when steering avoidance is possible with highly safe control, more appropriate vehicle control can be achieved by executing the automatic steering control.

[0073] In addition, the vehicle control unit 140 may execute CMBS control in parallel with the contact avoidance braking control unit 142B at the timing of time T4. When the CMBS control is executed, the above-mentioned automatic steering avoidance control and the driver steering assist control described later may not be executed. In this case, the HMI control unit 150 may output an alarm (image, sound) related to the CMBS control.

[0074] Returning to FIG. 3, at time T5 when the driver operates the steering wheel 82 (detects the driver steering trigger) and performs a steering operation in a direction to avoid the other vehicle m1, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B performs contact avoidance steering control (driver steering assist control) so as to prevent the vehicle from further departing from the adjacent lane (lane L2) adjacent to the driving lane (lane L1) ((4) in FIG. 3). The driver steering trigger is, for example, when the amount of steering torque of the driver to avoid the other vehicle m1 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. The driver steering assist control may be performed after the automatic steering avoidance control, or may be performed after the contact attention warning control (at the timing of time T4 without performing the automatic steering avoidance control).

[0075] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining steering control after a driver steering trigger. In the example of FIG. 7, when there is no space in the host vehicle lane L1 to avoid contact of the host vehicle M with another vehicle m1 and a driver steering trigger is detected, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B allows the host vehicle M to move from the lane L1 to the adjacent lane L2 and performs steering control of the host vehicle M so that the host vehicle M does not further deviate from the adjacent lane L2. In this case, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B may generate a target trajectory K4 for changing lanes to the lane L2 and perform steering assistance so that the position of the host vehicle M approaches the target trajectory K4 through a steering operation by the driver. In addition, the contact avoidance steering control unit 144B may control the steering amount by applying a reaction force to the steering wheel 82 in response to the steering operation of the driver. In addition, during the driver steering assistance control, the HMI control unit 150 may continue to perform the above-described warning escalation control. This allows for more appropriate vehicle control to be achieved even when emergency avoidance steering is performed by the driver's steering operation.

[0076] Returning to FIG. 3, when the time to contact TTC approaches the limit value after the attention warning control shown in FIG. 3(1) and the driver performs a steering operation, the vehicle control unit 140 executes driver steering assist control (FIG. 3(5)) to prevent the vehicle from further crossing into the adjacent lane, similar to the control of FIG. 3(4). In this case, the HMI control unit 150 may execute notification control such as a notification or an alarm that the driver steering assist control is operating. The above-mentioned contact avoidance braking control and contact avoidance steering control are controls executed as "avoidance control."

[0077] Here, in each of the operation phases of the attention alert, contact attention warning, automatic steering avoidance, and contact avoidance steering shown in FIG. 3, the determination conditions for operation may include satisfying a condition related to the speed of the host vehicle M. FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the speed conditions of the host vehicle M under which control is started for each operation phase. For example, the contact avoidance steering control in the automatic steering avoidance and driver steering assist control is controlled to be executed when the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 40 [km / h] or higher. Because this control is controlled after the attention alert, if the contact margin time TTC is approximately 2 [seconds], contact can be sufficiently avoided by the driver's braking operation. Furthermore, the centering steering control in the attention alert and contact attention warning is controlled to be executed when the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 30 [km / h] or higher. Furthermore, the gradual deceleration control in the attention alert and contact attention warning is controlled to be executed when the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 30 [km / h] or higher if the accelerator pedal is operated (AP operation). This speed is below the steering avoidance limit speed and is within a range where there is a performance margin for CMBS control, so setting this condition enables more appropriate driving control to be achieved. Furthermore, when there is no AP operation, control is performed so that the control is executed when the speed VM of the host vehicle M is 5 km / h or higher. In other words, when the driver's AP operation is not detected, the speed is set lower than when AP operation is detected. This relaxes the start condition for the gradual deceleration control when there is no AP operation, making it possible to execute the gradual deceleration control in various situations, including a state of mindless driving in a traffic jam, and more safely avoiding contact between the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1.

[0078] Braking Override Next, the override control by the brake override control unit 142C will be described. Fig. 9 is a diagram for explaining the override control for the brake control. The example of Fig. 9 explains the override control for the gradual deceleration control. The example of Fig. 9 shows the states of the host vehicle M, the driver, and vehicle control (for example, output to the HMI 30, deceleration (braking) control) over time when the host vehicle M and another vehicle m1, which is a preceding vehicle, are present on the lane L1 as shown in Fig. 4 etc. In the example of Fig. 9, it is assumed that time T11 is the earliest, followed by time T12, T13, T14, and T15 in that order.

[0079] The period from time T11 to time T12 shown in Fig. 9 is a period in which the driver is determined to be in a distracted driving state. During this period, the driver performs AP operation, and the host vehicle M travels at a constant speed (longitudinal G is 0 (zero)). In addition, no information is output to the HMI 30, and deceleration control is not executed.

[0080] After time T12, the vehicle control unit 140 performs the gradual deceleration control because the execution conditions for the gradual deceleration control are satisfied. In this case, longitudinal G caused by gradual deceleration occurs in the host vehicle M. Also, at this stage, a notification of the reason for the operation (only an image display including information indicating that the host vehicle M is approaching another vehicle m1 ahead) is output to the HMI 30. In the example of FIG. 9, the driver feels the longitudinal G caused by the gradual deceleration with his body and recognizes the content of the notification output by the HMI 30, thereby performing forward recognition of the host vehicle M (surroundings monitoring) and determining the next action (driving operation).

[0081] At time T13, the driver performs an AP operation to accelerate the host vehicle M while the gradual deceleration control is being executed. At this point, the AP operation is not being executed by a predetermined amount (predetermined value) or more, so the brake override control unit 142C determines that the override control will not be executed and continues the gradual deceleration control. Also, at this stage, the HMI 30 continues to output the operation reason notification. Then, at time T14 when the AP operation becomes equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, the brake override control unit 142C determines that the execution condition for the override control has been met and stops the gradual deceleration control by the gradual deceleration control unit 142A. Thereafter, the host vehicle M accelerates according to the accelerator opening due to manual driving by the driver, and longitudinal G accompanying the acceleration is generated. As a result, the override control for the gradual deceleration is executed.

[0082] 9, since the AP operation is kept constant from time T14 onwards, the host vehicle M accelerates to a speed corresponding to the AP operation after the override, and becomes a constant speed when the speed VM reaches a speed corresponding to the accelerator opening (time T15). After the override control is executed, notifications such as warnings and alarms from the HMI 30 are also terminated, and the gradual deceleration control is not executed until the next gradual deceleration execution condition is met.

[0083] Here, the brake override control unit 142C halts the gradual deceleration control when an AP operation of a predetermined amount or more is detected. However, the predetermined amount (predetermined value) may be varied depending on the speed at which the driver operates the AP (AP operation speed). For example, the brake override control unit 142C sets the predetermined amount to a small value when the driver's AP operation speed is equal to or greater than the predetermined speed, and sets the predetermined amount to a large value when the AP operation speed is less than the predetermined speed. In this way, the brake override control unit 142C can make a more appropriate override decision for the gradual deceleration control by determining the driver's intention from the driver's AP operation speed. Furthermore, the brake override control unit 142C can make an override decision in a short time by making an override decision when the AP opening change rate is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (3 to 5%), thereby supporting drivers who operate the AP quickly. Furthermore, the brake override control unit 142C can make an override decision when the AP operation amount increases by 10 to 20% or more (10 to 20%) based on the AP opening at the start of control. This allows the brake override control unit 142C to make an override decision based on the magnitude of the operation amount even when an override decision cannot be made based on the AP operation in a short time. This makes it possible to accommodate drivers who operate the AP slowly.

[0084] [Steering override] Next, the details of the steering override by the steering override control unit 144C will be described using the drawings. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the steering override. FIG. 10 illustrates, as an example, the override determination conditions for the centering steering control during warning control. FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the steering angle of the host vehicle M and the torque characteristics of the steering wheel 82, with the horizontal axis representing the steering angle of the host vehicle M and the vertical axis representing the steering torque (torque amount) of the steering wheel 82. The example of FIG. 10 also shows a threshold value (threshold value for determining whether or not the steering torque is a distracted driving threshold value) for determining whether or not the steering torque is a distracted driving, a determination threshold value TH1 (an example of a first threshold value) for determining whether or not the avoidance control (automatic steering avoidance control and driver steering assist control) is an override, and a determination threshold value TH2 (an example of a second threshold value) for determining whether or not the LKAS control is an override. The threshold value for determining the distracted driving is, for example, a steering torque smaller than the steering angle at which the direction of the host vehicle M changes (becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined angle). This makes it possible to determine whether or not the host vehicle M is driving in a stable driving state before the direction of the host vehicle M actually changes.

[0085] During centering steering control, the steering override control unit 144C executes override control to stop steering control when the driver's steering torque (steering amount) is equal to or greater than a threshold. In this override determination, the steering override control unit 144C changes a determination threshold depending on whether the steering direction of the driver's steering torque is forward or backward relative to the steering control by the vehicle control unit 140. The forward direction refers to the same direction as the steering direction for moving the host vehicle M laterally (in the road width direction) by the vehicle control unit 140 (vehicle system), and the backward direction refers to the direction opposite to the forward direction (for example, the direction opposite to the steering direction for moving the host vehicle M laterally by the vehicle control unit 140, a direction that hinders steering by the vehicle system). For example, in the case of centering steering control, the forward direction is the steering direction for moving the host vehicle M to the center of the driving lane, and the backward direction is the steering direction for moving the host vehicle M in a direction away from the center of the driving lane.

[0086] Specifically, for example, the judgment threshold for steering in the opposite direction (reverse direction threshold) is set to a value smaller than the judgment threshold for steering in the forward direction (forward direction threshold). The reverse direction threshold is set to, for example, a steering torque that causes a slight change in the direction of the host vehicle M. Because the driver's intention to go against the steering control can be clearly grasped by steering in the opposite direction, an appropriate override judgment can be made even with a small steering torque. Note that the reverse direction threshold is set to, for example, a value close to the judgment threshold TH1 (a value whose error is less than a predetermined value). In other words, the reverse direction threshold is set to a value closer to the judgment threshold TH1 than to the judgment threshold TH2.

[0087] On the other hand, the forward direction threshold is set to a value greater than the reverse direction threshold. Since a driver may be operating a steering operation in the same direction as the vehicle control while being influenced by the steering control on the system side, by increasing the forward direction threshold, override control can be performed when the driver's intention is made clearer by detecting a large steering torque. Note that the forward direction threshold is set to a value close to the determination threshold TH2 (a value whose error is less than a predetermined value), for example. In other words, the forward direction threshold is set to a value closer to the determination threshold TH2 than to the determination threshold TH1. By setting the forward direction threshold to a value close to (corresponding to) the determination threshold of the override of another driving assistance (existing driving control), the driver can easily grasp the amount of operation required for the override and can perform an appropriate steering operation to switch to manual driving.

[0088] The above-mentioned determination thresholds (distracted driving determination threshold, determination thresholds TH1, TH2, reverse direction threshold, forward direction threshold) may be variably set according to, for example, the road conditions on which the host vehicle M is traveling (for example, a curved road, a straight road, etc.), or may be variably set according to the vehicle type (steering characteristics for each vehicle type) of the host vehicle M. Furthermore, the steering override control unit 144C may make an override determination based on a steering torque change amount, which will be described later, instead of the steering torque.

[0089] [Timing of override decision in warning control and avoidance control] As described above, the vehicle control in the vehicle control unit 140 includes warning control (gentle deceleration, centering steering control) and avoidance control (automatic steering avoidance control and driver steering assistance control), but the timing of determining the override (timing of executing the override) in each control may be made different based on the driver's operation, etc.

[0090] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the override determination timing during vehicle control. Note that the example of FIG. 11 shows the determination timing in warning control (centering steering control) related to steering control and the determination timing in avoidance control (automatic steering avoidance control, driver steering assist control). The example of FIG. 11 also shows the timing for detecting a driver steering trigger, which is an activation condition for driver steering assist control. In warning control and avoidance control, when a predetermined condition (shown in FIG. 11) for each control content is satisfied among the steering torque, steering angular velocity, and steering torque change amount (an example of steering change amount), the steering override control unit 144C executes an override determination corresponding to the satisfied condition. Note that the steering torque change amount is a value derived based on the steering torque and steering angular velocity. For example, when the steering angular velocity is 10 [deg / s] and the steering torque is 1.0 [Nm], the torque change amount corresponding to the above numerical values ​​is derived.

[0091] For example, as shown in Fig. 11, the steering override control unit 144C uses the steering torque change amount being equal to or greater than a threshold as a determination condition, and further performs override control of warning control when a rising edge of the steering torque change amount is detected, and performs override control of avoidance control when a falling edge of the steering torque change amount is detected. A rising edge of the steering torque change amount is, for example, a state in which the steering torque change amount is changing so as to move away from a reference value (reference position). A falling edge of the steering torque change amount is, for example, a state in which the steering torque change amount is changing so as to approach (return to) the reference value. The reference value is, for example, a position where the steering angle (or steering torque change amount) is 0, or the position of the steering wheel 82 when no steering operation is being performed.

[0092] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating the rise and fall of the steering torque change amount. In the example of FIG. 12, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the steering torque change amount over a predetermined time. A steering torque change amount of 0 (zero) indicates a state in which the driver is not performing a steering operation and represents a reference value. For example, the steering override control unit 144C detects a rise when the steering torque change amount becomes equal to or greater than a threshold value in a direction away from the reference value, and executes override control of the warning control (centering steering control) currently being executed at this timing. Also, a fall is detected when the change from a rising state (a state equal to or greater than the threshold value) in a direction returning to the reference value (a direction approaching the reference change amount) becomes equal to or greater than a threshold value, and executes override control of the avoidance control (automatic steering avoidance control, driver steering assist control) currently being executed at this timing. Note that the fall may be determined based on whether the amount of change from the maximum steering torque in the rising state (amount of return to the reference value) is equal to or greater than a threshold value. Alternatively, a fall may be detected when the steering torque change amount becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value, and then returns to less than the threshold value. Also, a fall is not limited to when there is steering return to the reference value. For example, since the steering torque change amount is derived based on the steering torque and the steering angular velocity, the steering angular velocity may decrease even when the vehicle is stationary with steering, and thus the change may drop.

[0093] Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining the determination timing of the driver steering trigger. In the example of Fig. 13, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents steering torque and steering angular velocity, respectively. In the driver steering assist control, since the control is executed when there is little time remaining in the contact margin time TTC, it is better to detect the driver steering trigger immediately after detecting the driver's steering operation. Therefore, in the case of the driver steering trigger, as shown in Fig. 13, the driver steering trigger is detected at the rise of the steering operation (steering torque, steering angular velocity) that becomes equal to or exceeds a threshold value in a short time.

[0094] As described above, by adjusting the determination timing for each content (phase) of vehicle control, override control can be executed at more appropriate timing. For example, with respect to centering steering control, override control can be executed at the timing (rising timing) when the steering operation starts, so warning control can be canceled (stopped) at an early timing. Also, with respect to avoidance control, override determination is performed at the falling edge, so that determination can be made at a timing different from the detection timing (rising timing) of the driver steering trigger, which is one of the activation conditions of driver steering assist control. This makes it possible to prevent the execution determination of driver steering assist control and the override determination of avoidance control from being executed at the same timing, and allows various determinations to be made at more appropriate timing.

[0095] Note that the steering override control unit 144C may perform an override determination at the timing of a falling edge when the avoidance control is first determined to be rising, and thereafter perform an override determination at the timing of a rising edge. At the first rising edge, the detection timing of the driver steering trigger during the automatic steering avoidance control and the override determination timing are the same, so the detection of the driver steering trigger is given priority at the first rising edge, and an override determination for the avoidance control is performed at the timing of a falling edge thereafter. Then, for subsequent (second and subsequent) override determinations, the override determination may be performed at the timing of a rising edge because the driver steering trigger determination has already been made.

[0096] [Processing flow] Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the driving assistance device 100 in the embodiment. In the example of Fig. 14, of the processing executed by the driving assistance device 100, vehicle control processing including override control in particular will be described.

[0097] In the example of FIG. 14, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the host vehicle M (step S100). Next, the contact possibility determination unit 120 derives a time to contact TTC between the host vehicle M and an obstacle based on the recognized surrounding conditions (step S110). Next, the driving state detection unit 130 detects the driving state of the driver of the host vehicle M (step S120) and determines whether the driver is driving absentmindedly (step S130). If it is determined that the driver is driving absentmindedly, the vehicle control unit 140 determines whether the time to contact TTC satisfies an activation condition for braking control or steering control (step S140). In the processing of step S140, it may be determined whether the activation conditions for both braking control and steering control are satisfied. If it is determined that the time to contact TTC satisfies the activation condition for braking control or steering control, the vehicle control unit 140 executes vehicle control corresponding to the activation condition (step S150). This vehicle control includes, for example, at least one of the above-mentioned attention warning control, contact warning control, automatic steering avoidance control, driver steering assistance control, and CMBS control.

[0098] Next, vehicle control unit 140 determines whether a predetermined driver operation has been performed during execution of vehicle control (step S160). If it is determined that a predetermined driver operation has been performed, vehicle control unit 140 stops the vehicle control being executed (step S170). This ends the processing of this flowchart. Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S130 that the driver is not driving aimlessly, if it is determined in the processing of step S140 that the time to contact TTC does not satisfy the activation condition for braking control or steering control, or if it is determined in the processing of step S160 that a predetermined driver operation has not been performed during execution of vehicle control, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0099] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an example of override determination processing. The example of FIG. 15 shows an example of the content executed in the processing of steps S160 to S170 described above. The example of FIG. 15 also shows override determination processing related to steering operation. In the example of FIG. 15, the steering override control unit 144C determines whether warning control is in progress (step S200). If it is determined that warning control is in progress, the steering override control unit 144C determines whether a rise in the amount of steering torque change has been detected (step S210). If it is determined that a rise in the amount of steering torque change (for example, a change of a predetermined amount or more from a reference value) has been detected, the steering override control unit 144C stops the warning control being executed (step S220).

[0100] Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S200 that warning control is not being performed, the steering override control unit 144C determines whether or not avoidance control is being performed (step S230). If it is determined that avoidance control is being performed, the steering override control unit 144C determines whether or not a fall in the amount of steering torque change (for example, a change of a predetermined amount or more that returns to a reference value) has been detected (step S240). If it is determined that a fall has been detected, the steering override control unit 144C stops the avoidance control being performed (step S250). This ends the processing of this flowchart.

[0101] Furthermore, if it is determined in the processing of step S210 that a rise in the amount of change in steering torque has not been detected, if it is determined in the processing of step S230 that avoidance control is not in progress, or if it is determined in the processing of step S240 that a fall in the amount of change in steering torque has not been detected, this flowchart ends.

[0102] As described above, according to the embodiment, the driving assistance device 100 (an example of a vehicle control device) includes a recognition unit 110 that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M, a vehicle control unit 140 that executes vehicle control to control at least one of acceleration / deceleration and steering of the vehicle M when there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle M and an obstacle, and a driving state detection unit 130 that detects the driving state of the occupants of the vehicle M. The vehicle control includes warning control that notifies the occupants when the vehicle M approaches an obstacle, and avoidance control that avoids contact with the obstacle when the vehicle M approaches the obstacle more closely than the warning control. By terminating the warning control when a steering operation by the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit 130 during warning control is detected to be greater than a predetermined amount from a reference value, and not terminating the avoidance control when a steering operation by the occupant is detected to be greater than a predetermined amount from a reference value during avoidance control, a more appropriate override judgment can be made depending on the content of the vehicle control being executed.

[0103] Specifically, according to the embodiment, in steering avoidance control, the override judgment for warning control (slow deceleration control, centering steering control) is determined based on the operation status (rising) in the steering direction, and the override judgment for avoidance control is determined based on the operation status (falling) in the return direction from the steering direction, thereby making it possible to suppress unintended override control due to the driver's steering operation in avoidance control related to driver steering assist control.

[0104] [Variations] In the above-described embodiment, the slow deceleration control and centering steering control in the attention warning control and the collision warning control are performed when the driver is determined to be driving absentmindedly, but the slow deceleration control and the centering steering control may be selectively performed depending on whether the driver is driving absentmindedly. For example, the vehicle control unit 140 may perform the slow deceleration control and the centering steering control in the attention warning control and the collision warning control when the driver is determined to be driving absentmindedly, and may perform either the slow deceleration control or the centering steering control when the driver is determined not to be driving absentmindedly. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 140 may not perform the centering steering control (for example, when the vehicle is traveling along a lane marking) or may perform the slow deceleration control when the host vehicle M moves in a direction approaching another vehicle m1 by performing the centering steering control. Furthermore, the vehicle control unit 140 may perform the slow deceleration control when the host vehicle M cannot recognize the lane markings of the traveling lane, since the centering steering control is not possible. In the above-described embodiment, the gradual deceleration control and the centering steering control may be performed without determining whether or not the driver is driving absentmindedly.

[0105] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the obstacle is not limited to the preceding vehicle, but may be another vehicle approaching the host vehicle M. Furthermore, the obstacle may be a pedestrian, a bicycle, or other object (not necessarily a moving body). Furthermore, the numerical values ​​shown in the above-described embodiment are merely examples, and may be adjusted as appropriate depending on the road conditions (shape, number of lanes, road type), the driver's driving conditions (degree of absentmindedness), the vehicle conditions (speed, vehicle type, shape, number of passengers), etc.

[0106] 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 vehicle's surroundings, When it is determined based on the result of the recognition that there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle and an obstacle, a vehicle control is executed to control at least one of acceleration / deceleration and steering of the vehicle; Detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; the vehicle control includes warning control for notifying the occupant when the vehicle approaches the obstacle, and avoidance control for avoiding contact with the obstacle when the vehicle approaches the obstacle more closely than the warning control, During the warning control, when a steering operation by the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit is detected to be a predetermined amount or more from a reference value, the warning control is stopped, When a steering operation that is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount from the reference value is detected during the avoidance control, the avoidance control is not stopped. Vehicle control device.

[0107] 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]

[0108] 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...contact possibility determination unit, 130...driving state detection unit, 140...vehicle control unit, 142...braking control unit, 144...steering control unit, 150...HMI control unit, 160...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 situation of the vehicle; a vehicle control unit that executes vehicle control to control at least one of deceleration and steering of the vehicle when there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle and an obstacle based on a recognition result of the recognition unit; a driving state detection unit that detects a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle, the vehicle control includes an alarm control for notifying the occupant when the vehicle approaches the obstacle, and an avoidance control for avoiding contact with the obstacle when the vehicle approaches the obstacle closer than the state of proximity between the vehicle and the obstacle at which the alarm control is activated, The vehicle control unit During the warning control, when a steering operation by the occupant detected by the driving state detection unit is detected to be a predetermined amount or more from a reference value, the warning control is stopped, When a steering operation that is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount from the reference value is detected during the avoidance control, the avoidance control is not stopped. Vehicle control device.

2. the vehicle control unit stops the avoidance control when a steering operation toward the reference value is detected during the avoidance control. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

3. the vehicle control unit, when a steering operation that is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount from the reference value is detected for the first time during the avoidance control, determines whether to terminate the avoidance control by a steering operation that returns the steering operation to the reference value. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

4. the vehicle control unit detects a steering operation that is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount from the reference value during the avoidance control, and then stops the avoidance control when detecting a steering operation that returns the steering operation to the reference value. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

5. The steering operation includes an operation based on a steering change amount derived from a steering amount by the occupant and a steering angular velocity. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

6. The warning control includes a steering control for moving the vehicle to the center of the driving lane. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 .

7. The computer Recognizes the vehicle's surroundings, When it is determined based on the result of the recognition that there is a possibility of contact between the vehicle and an obstacle, a vehicle control is executed to control at least one of deceleration and steering of the vehicle; Detecting a driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; the vehicle control includes an alarm control for notifying the occupant when the vehicle approaches the obstacle, and an avoidance control for avoiding contact with the obstacle when the vehicle approaches the obstacle closer than the state of proximity between the vehicle and the obstacle at which the alarm control is activated, When a steering operation by the occupant is detected to be greater than or equal to a predetermined amount from a reference value during the warning control, the warning control is stopped, When a steering operation that is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount from the reference value is detected during the avoidance control, the avoidance control is not stopped. Vehicle control method.

8. On the computer, Recognize the vehicle's surroundings, When there is a possibility that the vehicle will come into contact with an obstacle based on the recognition result, a vehicle control is executed to control at least one of deceleration and steering of the vehicle; Detecting the driving state of an occupant of the vehicle; the vehicle control includes an alarm control for notifying the occupant when the vehicle approaches the obstacle, and an avoidance control for avoiding contact with the obstacle when the vehicle approaches the obstacle closer than the state of proximity between the vehicle and the obstacle at which the alarm control is activated, During the warning control, if a steering operation by the occupant is detected to be greater than or equal to a predetermined amount from a reference value, the warning control is stopped; When a steering operation that is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount from the reference value is detected during the avoidance control, the avoidance control is not stopped. program.

Images