control device

Abstract

To improve safety.SOLUTION: A control device includes: a control unit which may switch between a manual operation mode and an automatic operation mode as an operation mode of a vehicle; and a detection part which detects an irritation level of a driver of the vehicle. The control unit switches the operation mode from the manual operation mode to the automatic operation mode when the irritation level exceeds the standards in the manual operation mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, various technologies for assisting drivers have been proposed. For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a technology has been proposed for switching between a manual driving mode in which the vehicle is driven according to the driver's driving operations and an automatic driving mode in which the vehicle is driven automatically without the driver's driving operations. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-153939 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Here, the driving operation by the driver may change according to the change in the emotional state of the driver while driving. Therefore, in the manual driving mode, the behavior of the vehicle may change according to the change in the emotional state of the driver. As a result, depending on the emotional state of the driver, a situation may arise in which the safety of the vehicle and surrounding vehicles is reduced. For example, such a situation may arise when the driver is irritated.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can improve safety. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, a control device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a control unit that can switch between a manual driving mode and an automatic driving mode as a driving mode of the vehicle; a detection unit for detecting a degree of irritation of a driver of the vehicle; Equipped with The control unit switches the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode when the degree of irritation exceeds a standard in the manual driving mode. 、 The detection unit is laid on the floor of the driver's seat of the vehicle, is stepped on by the driver's foot, and, when it determines that the driver is fidgeting based on information acquired from a sensor that detects the stepping load of the driver's foot, it determines that the degree of irritation has exceeded the standard. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve safety. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the control device in the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific dimensions, materials, numerical values, etc. shown in the embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanation, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

[0010] <Vehicle configuration> The configuration of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a vehicle 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle 1 includes wheels 11, a power transmission system 12, a steering wheel 13, a motor 21, an inverter 22, a battery 23, a braking device 31, a hydraulic control unit 32, a master cylinder 33, an accelerator pedal 41, a brake pedal 42, a power steering mechanism 51, a display device 61, an audio device 62, an accelerator position sensor 71, a brake sensor 72, a driver behavior sensor 73, and a control device 100.

[0012] The vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle that has only a drive motor 21 as a drive source and runs using the power output from the motor 21. However, the vehicle according to the present invention is not limited to this example, and may be, for example, a hybrid vehicle that has an engine as a drive source in addition to the motor 21.

[0013] The driving mode of the vehicle 1 can be switched between a manual driving mode and an automatic driving mode. The manual driving mode is a driving mode in which the acceleration / deceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 1 are controlled in accordance with the driving operation by the driver (specifically, acceleration / deceleration operation and steering operation). The automatic driving mode is a driving mode in which the acceleration / deceleration and steering angle of the vehicle 1 are automatically controlled without the driving operation by the driver.

[0014] The motor 21 outputs power to be transmitted to the wheels 11. The motor 21 is, for example, a three-phase AC motor. The motor 21 is connected to the battery 23 via the inverter 22, and is driven using the power of the battery 23 to output power. The output shaft of the motor 21 is connected to the wheels 11 via the power transmission system 12. The power output from the motor 21 is transmitted to the wheels 11 via the power transmission system 12. In this case, the motor 21 imparts driving force to the vehicle 1, causing the vehicle 1 to accelerate.

[0015] In vehicle 1, the drive wheels to which the power output from motor 21 is transmitted may be either the front wheels or the rear wheels. Furthermore, the power output from the output side of power transmission system 12 may be transmitted to both the front wheels and the rear wheels via a propeller shaft (not shown).

[0016] The motor 21 can generate electricity using the kinetic energy of the wheels 11. The electric power generated by the motor 21 is supplied to the battery 23 via the inverter 22. As a result, the battery 23 is charged with the electric power generated by the motor 21. In this case, the motor 21 applies a braking force to the vehicle 1 through regenerative braking, and the vehicle 1 is braked and decelerated.

[0017] The inverter 22 is a power conversion device that performs bidirectional power conversion. For example, the inverter 22 includes a three-phase bridge circuit. The inverter 22 can convert DC power supplied from the battery 23 into AC power and supply it to the motor 21. The inverter 22 can also convert AC power generated by the motor 21 into DC power and supply it to the battery 23.

[0018] The battery 23 is a battery that can charge and discharge power. For example, a lithium ion battery, a lithium ion polymer battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or a lead-acid battery is used as the battery 23. However, batteries other than these may also be used as the battery 23. The battery 23 stores the power supplied to the motor 21.

[0019] The master cylinder 33 is connected to the brake pedal 42 via a booster (not shown), and generates hydraulic pressure according to the amount of braking operation, which is the amount of operation of the brake pedal 42. The master cylinder 33 is connected to the brake devices 31 provided on each wheel 11 via a hydraulic pressure control unit 32. The hydraulic pressure generated by the master cylinder 33 is supplied to each brake device 31 via the hydraulic pressure control unit 32.

[0020] The brake devices 31 use hydraulic pressure to apply braking force to the wheels 11. The sum of the braking forces applied to the wheels 11 by the brake devices 31 corresponds to the braking force applied to the vehicle 1 by the brake devices 31.

[0021] The braking device 31 has, for example, a brake caliper (not shown) including brake pads and a wheel cylinder. For example, a pair of brake pads are provided facing each other on both sides of a brake disc that rotates integrally with the wheel 11. A wheel cylinder is formed within the brake caliper, and a piston is slidably provided within the wheel cylinder. The tip of the piston is provided opposite the brake pad, and as the piston slides, the brake pad moves toward each side of the brake disc. Hydraulic pressure generated by the master cylinder 33 is supplied to the wheel cylinder of the braking device 31. As a result, the piston and brake pad within the brake caliper move, and both sides of the brake disc are sandwiched between the pair of brake pads, applying braking force to the wheel 11.

[0022] The hydraulic pressure control unit 32 can adjust the hydraulic pressure supplied to each braking device 31 (i.e., the brake hydraulic pressure of each braking device 31). Specifically, the hydraulic pressure control unit 32 has devices such as a pump and a control valve, and controls the operation of these devices to control the brake hydraulic pressure of each braking device 31. This controls the braking force applied to each wheel 11. The hydraulic pressure control unit 32 may be able to individually adjust the hydraulic pressure supplied to each braking device 31. Furthermore, the brake system may have two systems.

[0023] The accelerator pedal 41 receives an accelerator operation by the driver. Specifically, the accelerator operation is an operation of depressing the accelerator pedal 41.

[0024] The brake pedal 42 receives a braking operation by the driver. Specifically, the braking operation is an operation of depressing the brake pedal 42.

[0025] The power steering mechanism 51 assists the driver in steering the vehicle 13. For example, the power steering mechanism 51 has an electric motor capable of outputting power to rotate the steering wheel 13. In this case, assistance to the driver in steering the vehicle 1 is achieved by driving the electric motor. As will be described later, in the autonomous driving mode, the power steering mechanism 51 is used to control the steering angle of the vehicle 1.

[0026] The display device 61 is a device that visually displays information, and is, for example, a display or a lamp, etc. Note that the display device 61 may be any device other than those described above as long as it has the function of visually displaying information, and may be, for example, a device that displays an image on the windshield of the vehicle 1.

[0027] The audio device 62 is a device that outputs sound. For example, the audio device 62 plays music selected by the driver.

[0028] The accelerator opening sensor 71 detects the accelerator opening, which is the amount of operation of the accelerator pedal 41 by the driver, and outputs the detection result to the control device 100.

[0029] The brake sensor 72 detects the amount of braking operation, which is the amount of operation of the brake pedal 42 by the driver, and outputs the detection result to the control device 100.

[0030] The driver behavior sensor 73 detects the driver's behavior and outputs the detection result to the control device 100. For example, a mat-type sensor that detects the behavior of the driver's feet is used as the driver behavior sensor 73. The mat-type sensor is laid on the floor of the driver's seat and is stepped on by the driver's feet. The mat-type sensor detects the stepping load of the driver's feet. In this way, the mat-type sensor can detect the behavior of the driver's feet (for example, whether or not the driver is fidgeting).

[0031] The control device 100 has one or more processors 101 and one or more memories 102 connected to the processors 101. The processor 101 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory 102 includes, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The ROM is a storage element that stores programs and calculation parameters used by the CPU. The RAM is a storage element that temporarily stores data such as variables and parameters used in processing executed by the CPU.

[0032] The control device 100 communicates with each device (e.g., inverter 22, hydraulic pressure control unit 32, power steering mechanism 51, display device 61, audio device 62, accelerator opening sensor 71, brake sensor 72, driver behavior sensor 73, etc.) provided in the vehicle 1. The communication between the control device 100 and each device is realized, for example, by using CAN (Controller Area Network) communication.

[0033] Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control device 100. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the control device 100 has an acquisition unit 111, a control unit 112, and a detection unit 113. Note that various processes including the processes described below that are performed by the acquisition unit 111, the control unit 112, or the detection unit 113 may be executed by the processor 101. In detail, the various processes are executed by the processor 101 executing a program stored in the memory 102.

[0034] The acquisition unit 111 acquires various information used in the processes performed by the control unit 112 and the detection unit 113, and outputs the information to the control unit 112 and the detection unit 113. For example, the acquisition unit 111 acquires information from the accelerator opening sensor 71, the brake sensor 72, and the driver behavior sensor 73.

[0035] The control unit 112 controls the operation of each device in the vehicle 1. For example, the control unit 112 mainly includes a motor control unit 112a, a brake control unit 112b, and a steering control unit 112c. Note that, although the following mainly describes the control of the motor 21, the brake device 31, and the power steering mechanism 51 by the control unit 112, the control unit 112 can also control the operation of the display device 61 and the audio device 62.

[0036] The motor control unit 112a controls the operation of the motor 21. Specifically, the motor control unit 112a controls the operation of the switching elements of the inverter 22 to control the supply of power between the battery 23 and the motor 21. In this way, the motor control unit 112a can control the generation of power and the generation of electricity by the motor 21.

[0037] The brake control unit 112b controls the operation of the brake devices 31. Specifically, the brake control unit 112b controls the operation of the hydraulic pressure control unit 32 to control the brake hydraulic pressure of each brake device 31 provided for each wheel 11. In this way, the brake control unit 112b can control the braking force applied to the vehicle 1.

[0038] The steering control unit 112c controls the operation of the power steering mechanism 51. Specifically, the steering control unit 112c controls the output of the electric motor of the power steering mechanism 51, thereby controlling the torque applied to the steering wheel 13 by the electric motor.

[0039] As described above, the driving mode of the vehicle 1 can be switched between a manual driving mode and an automatic driving mode. For example, the vehicle 1 is provided with an input device (e.g., a switch or a button) for selecting whether to execute the manual driving mode or the automatic driving mode, and the driver can select the manual driving mode or the automatic driving mode by operating the input device. Note that if the driver performs a specific operation such as braking during the automatic driving mode, the driving mode is switched from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode.

[0040] In the manual driving mode, the control unit 112 controls each device so that the acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle 1 corresponds to the acceleration / deceleration operation (i.e., accelerator operation and brake operation) by the driver. Specifically, the control unit 112 controls the operation of the motor 21 so that the driving force applied to the vehicle 1 corresponds to the accelerator opening. This allows the acceleration of the vehicle 1 to be controlled in accordance with the accelerator operation by the driver. The control unit 112 also controls the operation of the brake device 31 so that the braking force applied to the vehicle 1 corresponds to the amount of brake operation. This allows the deceleration of the vehicle 1 to be controlled in accordance with the brake operation by the driver. The control unit 112 also controls the operation of the power steering mechanism 51 so that, when the driver is steering, a torque is applied to the steering wheel 13 in the direction that matches the rotation direction of the steering wheel 13. This assists the driver's steering operation.

[0041] In the autonomous driving mode, the control unit 112 controls each device so that the vehicle 1 automatically travels along a target route. For example, the target route may be a travel route set in accordance with an input operation by a passenger such as a driver in a navigation device provided in the vehicle 1. Specifically, in the autonomous driving mode, the control unit 112 controls the operation of the power steering mechanism 51 to adjust the steering angle of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle 1 does not deviate from the travel lane. In addition, the control unit 112 controls, for example, the acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 is maintained at a set speed. Note that, when there is a leading vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle 1, the control unit 112 controls the acceleration / deceleration of the vehicle 1 so that the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 1 and the leading vehicle is maintained at a set distance.

[0042] The detection unit 113 detects the level of frustration of the driver of the vehicle 1. For example, as will be described later, the detection unit 113 detects the level of frustration of the driver of the vehicle 1 based on information about the driver's behavior acquired from the driver behavior sensor 73. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the control unit 112 switches the driving mode in specific cases using the detection result by the detection unit 113. This improves safety.

[0043] The functions of the control device 100 may be divided among multiple control devices, or multiple functions may be realized by one control device. When the functions of the control device 100 are divided among multiple control devices, the multiple control devices may be connected to each other via a communication bus such as a CAN.

[0044] <Control device operation> The operation of the control device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0045] Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the control device 100. The control flow shown in Fig. 3 is started when the driving mode is set to the manual driving mode. After the control flow shown in Fig. 3 is finished, it is repeatedly executed if the driving mode is not switched to the automatic driving mode and is maintained in the manual driving mode.

[0046] When the control flow shown in FIG. 3 starts, first, in step S101, the control unit 112 determines whether or not the degree of irritation of the driver has exceeded a reference level.

[0047] The criteria for the determination in step S101 are set so as to determine whether the driver's level of irritation is high enough to cause a situation in which the safety of the vehicle 1 and surrounding vehicles is reduced due to the driving operation by the driver of the vehicle 1.

[0048] In step S101, the control unit 112 determines whether the driver's level of irritation has exceeded a standard based on the detection result of the irritation level by the detection unit 113. The detection unit 113 detects the driver's level of irritation, for example, based on information related to the driver's behavior. For example, when the detection unit 113 determines that the driver is fidgeting based on information acquired from the driver behavior sensor 73, the detection unit 113 determines that the driver's level of irritation is higher than when the detection unit 113 determines that the driver is not fidgeting. The determination of whether the driver is fidgeting can be made based on, for example, the magnitude of the pressure applied by the driver's foot and the frequency of the stepping. Then, when the detection result of the irritation level by the detection unit 113 indicates that the driver is fidgeting, the control unit 112 determines that the driver's level of irritation has exceeded a standard.

[0049] The determination of whether the driver's level of irritation exceeds the standard is not limited to the above example. For example, in the above example, the detection unit 113 detects the driver's level of irritation based on information about the behavior of the driver's feet. However, the detection unit 113 may detect the driver's level of irritation based on information about the behavior of parts of the driver other than the feet.

[0050] In the above example, the detection unit 113 detects the driver's level of irritation based on information about the driver's behavior. However, the detection unit 113 may detect the driver's level of irritation based on information other than the information about the driver's behavior (for example, information about the driver's facial expression, or biological information about the driver's pulse rate or sweating, etc.).

[0051] If it is determined that the driver's level of irritation does not exceed the standard (if the determination is NO in step S101), step S101 is repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the driver's level of irritation exceeds the standard (if the determination is YES in step S101), the process proceeds to step S102.

[0052] If the determination in step S101 is YES, in step S102, the control unit 112 forcibly switches the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode.

[0053] After step S102, in step S103, the control unit 112 executes notification control. The notification control is control for notifying the driver that the driving mode has been switched to the automatic driving mode.

[0054] For example, in the notification control, the control unit 112 causes the display device 61 to display that the driving mode has been switched to the autonomous driving mode. Also, for example, in the notification control, the control unit 112 causes the audio device 62 to output a sound that indicates that the driving mode has been switched to the autonomous driving mode.

[0055] In the notification control, the control unit 112 may perform both display by the display device 61 and audio output by the audio device 62. In addition, in the notification control, the control unit 112 may notify the driver by a method other than display and audio output (for example, by suddenly changing the temperature of the driver's seat).

[0056] After step S103, in step S104, the control unit 112 executes calming control. The calming control is a control for reducing the degree of irritation of the driver.

[0057] For example, in the calming control, the control unit 112 causes the sound device 62 to output music that relaxes the driver, thereby relaxing the driver and reducing the degree of irritation of the driver.

[0058] It should be noted that the cooling control is not limited to the above example using the sound device 62. For example, in the cooling control, the control unit 112 may control the operation of the air conditioning unit of the vehicle 1 so that cool air flows into the vehicle cabin. Also, in the cooling control, the control unit 112 may lower the temperature of a part that the driver comes into contact with (for example, the steering wheel 13 or the seat, etc.). These cooling controls can also relax the driver and reduce the degree of irritation of the driver.

[0059] After step S104, in step S105, the control unit 112 determines whether a set time has elapsed after switching the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode due to the driver's level of irritation exceeding a standard.

[0060] As will be described later, when the driving mode is switched from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode due to the driver's level of irritation exceeding a standard, and a set time has elapsed, the driving mode is switched from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode. In other words, when the driver's level of irritation exceeds a standard, the automatic driving mode basically continues for only the set time.

[0061] The set time is set, for example, to a time period during which the driver's level of irritation exceeds the standard, or to a time period longer than this time period. When a person becomes irritated, the irritated state generally lasts for approximately six seconds. After that, the irritated person calms down and the irritated state subsides. Therefore, for example, if the set time is set to six seconds and the driver's level of irritation exceeds the standard, the irritated driver can be calmed down by maintaining the automatic driving mode for six seconds.

[0062] The set time may be a fixed value or may be a value that varies depending on a parameter. For example, the control unit 112 may vary the set time depending on the driver's level of irritation. In this case, the control unit 112 may lengthen the set time as the driver's level of irritation increases. For example, if the driver is fidgeting and also operating the accelerator roughly, it can be determined that the driver's level of irritation is higher than if the driver is fidgeting but not operating the accelerator roughly. In such a case, the control unit 112 may lengthen the set time. This allows the irritated driver to calm down more appropriately.

[0063] If it is determined that the set time has not elapsed (if the determination in step S105 is NO), the process proceeds to step S106. On the other hand, if it is determined that the set time has elapsed (if the determination in step S105 is YES), the process proceeds to step S107, where the control unit 112 switches the driving mode from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode, and the control flow shown in Fig. 3 ends.

[0064] If the determination in step S105 is NO, in step S106, the control unit 112 determines whether the degree of irritation of the driver has fallen below a reference level. Note that the determination in step S106 is performed using, for example, information acquired from the driver behavior sensor 73, similar to the determination in step S101.

[0065] If it is determined that the driver's level of irritation is not below the standard (if the determination is NO in step S106), the process returns to step S103. On the other hand, if the driver's level of irritation is below the standard (if the determination is YES in step S106), the process proceeds to step S107, where the control unit 112 switches the driving mode from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode, and the control flow shown in Fig. 3 ends.

[0066] As described above, in this embodiment, the control unit 112 switches the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode when the driver of the vehicle 1 exceeds a reference level in the manual driving mode. This allows the driving mode to be forcibly switched to the automatic driving mode in a situation where the driver is irritated and the safety of the vehicle and surrounding vehicles is reduced due to the driver's driving operation. Therefore, when the driver is irritated, it is possible to prevent the driver from suddenly accelerating the vehicle 1 or suddenly changing lanes. Furthermore, it is also possible to prevent the driver from tailgating. This can improve safety.

[0067] Note that, in the above, an example of the processing performed by the control device 100 has been described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3. However, the processing performed by the control device 100 is not limited to the above example. For example, some processing may be omitted from the flowchart of FIG. 3. Specifically, one or both of the processing of step S103 and step S104 may be omitted from the flowchart of FIG. 3. In other words, the notification control and the calming control do not necessarily have to be performed. Furthermore, one of the processing of step S105 and step S106 may be omitted from the flowchart of FIG. 3. In other words, after the driving mode is switched from the manual driving mode to the automated driving mode because the driver's level of frustration exceeds a standard, the automated driving mode may continue until a set time has elapsed, or the automated driving mode may continue until the driver's level of frustration falls below the standard.

[0068] <Effects of the control device> The effects of the control device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0069] The control device 100 according to this embodiment includes a control unit 112 that can switch between a manual driving mode and an automatic driving mode as the driving mode of the vehicle 1, and a detection unit 113 that detects the level of frustration of the driver of the vehicle 1. In the control device 100, the control unit 112 switches the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode when the level of frustration exceeds a reference level in the manual driving mode. This can prevent the driver from suddenly accelerating the vehicle 1 or suddenly changing lanes when the driver is frustrated. Furthermore, it can also prevent the driver from aggressively driving. This can improve safety.

[0070] Furthermore, in the control device 100 according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the control unit 112 switches the driving mode from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode when a set time has elapsed after switching the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode due to the driver's level of irritation exceeding a standard. This allows the driver to calm down while the driving mode is switched to the automatic driving mode, and after the driver's irritation subsides, the driving mode can be returned to the manual driving mode. Therefore, safety can be more appropriately improved.

[0071] Furthermore, in the control device 100 according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the control unit 112 switches the driving mode from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode when the driver's level of irritation exceeds a standard and then switches the driving mode from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode when the driver's level of irritation falls below the standard. This makes it possible to return the driving mode to the manual driving mode after confirming that the driver has calmed down and his irritation has subsided. Therefore, safety can be more appropriately improved.

[0072] Furthermore, in the control device 100 according to this embodiment, when the driver's level of irritation exceeds a standard in the manual driving mode, the control unit 112 preferably executes notification control to notify the driver that the driving mode has been switched to the automatic driving mode, in addition to switching the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode. This allows the driver to recognize that the driving mode has been forcibly switched to the automatic driving mode. Furthermore, this also makes the driver aware that he or she is irritated, allowing the driver to calm down.

[0073] Furthermore, in the control device 100 according to this embodiment, when the driver's level of irritation exceeds a standard in the manual driving mode, the control unit 112 preferably executes calming control to reduce the driver's level of irritation in addition to switching the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode. This effectively calms the driver, thereby effectively reducing the driver's irritated state. Therefore, safety can be more appropriately improved.

[0074] The above describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modified or altered examples within the scope of the claims also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0075] For example, the processes described herein using flowcharts do not necessarily have to be performed in the order shown in the flowcharts, and additional process steps may be employed or some process steps may be omitted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1 vehicle 11 wheels 12 Power transmission system 13. Steering wheel 21 Motor 22 Inverter 23 Battery 31 Brake equipment 32 Hydraulic control unit 33 Master cylinder 41 Accelerator pedal 42 Brake pedal 51 Power steering mechanism 61 Display device 62 Sound equipment 71 Accelerator opening sensor 72 Brake sensor 73 Driver behavior sensor 100 control device 101 processors 102 memory 111 Acquisition Department 112 Control section 112a Motor control unit 112b Brake control unit 112c steering control unit 113 Detection unit

Claims

1. a control unit that can switch between a manual driving mode and an automatic driving mode as a driving mode of the vehicle; a detection unit for detecting a degree of irritation of a driver of the vehicle; Equipped with the control unit switches the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode when the irritation degree exceeds a standard in the manual driving mode, The detection unit is laid on a floor of a driver's seat of the vehicle, stepped on by the driver's foot, and determines that the driver is fidgeting based on information acquired from a sensor that detects a stepping load of the driver's foot, and determines that the degree of irritation has exceeded the standard. Control device.

2. The control unit After the driving mode is switched from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode in response to the degree of irritation exceeding the standard, when a set time has elapsed, the driving mode is switched from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode; The set time is changed depending on the degree of irritation. The control device according to claim 1 .

3. the control unit switches the driving mode from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode when the degree of irritation exceeds the standard, and then when the degree of irritation falls below the standard, switches the driving mode from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode. The control device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the degree of irritation exceeds the standard in the manual driving mode, the control unit notifies the driver that the driving mode has been switched to the automatic driving mode in addition to switching the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. When the irritation level exceeds the standard in the manual driving mode, the control unit switches the driving mode from the manual driving mode to the automatic driving mode and also executes cooling control to reduce the irritation level. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The cooling control is a control for lowering the temperature of the part that the driver is in contact with. The control device according to claim 5 .

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