Vehicle control system

Abstract

To enable the proper execution of collision mitigation control for vehicles.SOLUTION: A controller 30 includes: a recognition unit 33 that recognizes objects present around a vehicle 1 based on external information acquired by external sensors equipped on the vehicle; a first prediction unit 34 that predicts the movement trajectory of a traffic participant moving around the vehicle when the traffic participant is recognized as an object; a second prediction unit 35 that predicts an own vehicle's movement trajectory, which is the movement trajectory of the vehicle 1; and a collision suppression control unit 36 that predicts the traffic participant's stopping position when the traffic participant's trajectory intersects with the vehicle's trajectory, and executes collision suppression control based on the predicted stopping position when it determines that there is a possibility of the vehicle colliding with the traffic participant.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , , , , , , , , ,

[0005]

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

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, efforts have been actively made to provide access to a sustainable transport system that takes into account vulnerable road users. As part of these efforts, research and development have been carried out on driving support technologies and autonomous driving technologies in moving objects (such as vehicles like automobiles) to improve traffic safety and convenience.

[0003] One of the driving support technologies is, for example, deceleration control for decelerating the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle may collide with an obstacle, and / or collision suppression control for giving a predetermined warning to the vehicle occupants (also referred to as "CMBS (Collision Mitigation Brake System)").

[0004] In Patent Document 1 below, a first oncoming vehicle is identified when both a first condition that the speed of an oncoming vehicle traveling in an oncoming lane is below a determination speed for determining a stopped state and a second condition that the predicted travel path of the oncoming vehicle intersects the travel path of the host vehicle are satisfied. When it is determined that there is a second oncoming vehicle traveling behind the first oncoming vehicle in the oncoming lane, vehicle control is performed to yield the travel path to the first oncoming vehicle. On the other hand, when it is determined that there is no second oncoming vehicle, the above vehicle control is not performed. A technique is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

[0007] This invention provides a vehicle control device that enables the proper execution of collision suppression control in a vehicle, thereby improving vehicle safety. Ultimately, this contributes to improving traffic safety and the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is, A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle, A recognition unit that recognizes objects present around the vehicle based on information about the vehicle's surroundings acquired by external sensors provided by the vehicle, When a traffic participant moving around the vehicle is recognized as an object, a first prediction unit predicts the movement trajectory of the traffic participant, A second prediction unit predicts the vehicle's own movement trajectory, which is the vehicle's movement trajectory. A collision suppression control unit that performs collision suppression control based on the predicted movement trajectories of the traffic participants and the movement trajectory of the vehicle itself, Equipped with, The collision suppression control unit, When the movement path of one of the traffic participants intersects with the vehicle's own movement path, it is determined whether or not an obstacle exists on the movement path beyond the first point where the movement path of one traffic participant and the vehicle's own movement path intersect. If it is determined that the aforementioned obstacle exists, the stopping position of the first traffic participant is predicted based on the location of the obstacle and the first movement trajectory. If, based on the predicted stopping position, it is determined that the vehicle may collide with the one traffic participant, the collision suppression control is executed. It is a vehicle control device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle control device that enables the appropriate execution of collision suppression control in a vehicle, thereby improving the safety of the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 controlled by a control device 30, which is one embodiment of the vehicle control device of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the operation concept of collision suppression control by the control device 30. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows a first example of the operation of vehicle 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a timing chart showing a more detailed example of the operation of vehicle 1 in the first example shown in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the second and third examples of the operation of vehicle 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the vehicle control device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The drawings should be viewed in the direction of the reference numerals. The following embodiments are not intended to limit the invention described in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features from among the multiple features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, in the following, identical or similar elements will be denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0012] [Vehicle configuration] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle 1 controlled by a control device 30 which is an embodiment of the vehicle control device of the present invention. The vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an automobile having a drive source, wheels (not shown in either case), including drive wheels driven by the power of the drive source and steerable steerable wheels. For example, the vehicle 1 is a four-wheel automobile having a pair of left and right front wheels and rear wheels. The drive source of the vehicle 1 may be an electric motor, an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, or a combination of an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Further, the drive source of the vehicle 1 may drive a pair of left and right front wheels, a pair of left and right rear wheels, or four wheels of a pair of left and right front wheels and rear wheels. Either one of the front wheels and the rear wheels may be a steerable steerable wheel, or both may be steerable steerable wheels.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 includes a sensor group 10, a navigation device 20, a control device 30, an EPS system (electric power steering system) 40, a communication unit 50, a driving force control system 60, a braking force control system 70, an operation input unit 80, and a notification device 90.

[0014] The sensor group 10 acquires various detection values related to the vehicle 1 or the periphery of the vehicle 1. The detection values acquired by the sensor group 10 are sent to the control device 30 and used for the control of the vehicle 1 by the control device 30 (for example, the collision suppression control described later).

[0015] The sensor group 10 includes, for example, a front camera 11a, a rear camera 11b, a left side camera 11c, a right side camera 11d, a front sonar group 12a, a rear sonar group 12b, a left side sonar group 12c, and a right side sonar group 12d. These cameras and sonar groups can function as external sensors that acquire peripheral information representing the state of the periphery of the vehicle 1.

[0016] The front camera 11a, rear camera 11b, left side camera 11c, and right side camera 11d output the image data of the surrounding image obtained by imaging the periphery of the vehicle 1 to the control device 30. For example, the front camera 11a, rear camera 11b, left side camera 11c, and right side camera 11d repeatedly image the periphery of the vehicle 1 at a predetermined cycle. The surrounding images captured by the front camera 11a, rear camera 11b, left side camera 11c, and right side camera 11d are also referred to as the front image, rear image, left side image, and right side image, respectively. Also, the image composed of the left side image and the right side image is also referred to as the side image.

[0017] The front sonar group 12a, rear sonar group 12b, left side sonar group 12c, and right side sonar group 12d emit sound waves to the periphery of the vehicle 1 and receive the reflected sound from other objects, thereby obtaining information including the distance to the other object and the direction (direction based on the vehicle 1) in which the other object exists.

[0018] The front sonar group 12a includes, for example, four sonars. Each sonar of the front sonar group 12a is provided, for example, at the left front diagonal, front left, front right, and right front diagonal of the vehicle 1, respectively. The rear sonar group 12b includes, for example, four sonars. Each sonar of the rear sonar group 12b is provided, for example, at the left rear diagonal, rear left, rear right, and right rear diagonal of the vehicle 1, respectively. The left side sonar group 12c includes, for example, two sonars. Each sonar of the left side sonar group 12c is provided, for example, at the front of the left side part and the rear of the left side part of the vehicle 1, respectively. The right side sonar group 12d includes, for example, two sonars. Each sonar of the right side sonar group 12d is provided, for example, at the front of the right side part and the rear of the right side part of the vehicle 1, respectively.

[0019] Note that instead of or in addition to the above sonar groups 12a, 12b, 12c, and 12d, a radar device that emits radio waves (for example, so-called millimeter-wave radio waves) to the periphery of the vehicle 1 and receives the reflected waves from other objects to obtain information including the distance to the other object and the direction in which the other object exists may be provided on the vehicle 1.

[0020] Furthermore, the sensor group 10 includes wheel sensors 13a and 13b, a vehicle speed sensor 14, and an operation detection unit 15. The wheel sensors 13a and 13b detect the rotation angles θa and θb of the wheels (not shown), respectively. The wheel sensors 13a and 13b may be composed of angle sensors or displacement sensors. The wheel sensors 13a and 13b output a detection pulse each time the wheel rotates by a predetermined angle. The detection pulses output from the wheel sensors 13a and 13b can be used to calculate the rotation angle and rotation speed of the wheels. Based on the rotation angles of the wheels, the distance traveled by the vehicle 1 can be calculated. For example, the wheel sensor 13a detects the rotation angle θa of the left rear wheel. For example, the wheel sensor 13b detects the rotation angle θb of the right rear wheel.

[0021] The vehicle speed sensor 14 detects the travel speed of the vehicle 1 and outputs the detected travel speed of the vehicle 1 to the control device 30. The vehicle speed sensor 14 detects the travel speed of the vehicle 1 based on, for example, the rotation of the transmission countershaft.

[0022] The operation detection unit 15 detects operations performed using the operation input unit 80 (for example, operations performed by the driver of vehicle 1) and outputs the detected operations to the control device 30. Part or all of the operation input unit 80 may be shared with the input device of the touch panel 21, which will be described later.

[0023] The navigation device 20, for example, uses GPS (Global Positioning System) to determine the current location of vehicle 1 and guides the user on a route from the vehicle 1's current location to the destination. The navigation device 20 has, for example, a storage device (not shown) equipped with a map information database.

[0024] The navigation device 20 is also equipped with a touch panel 21 and a speaker 22. The touch panel 21 is configured as an integrated display device (e.g., a liquid crystal display) capable of displaying images and an input device capable of receiving information input, and functions as a display device controlled by the control device 30 and an input device that receives various types of information input to the control device 30. In other words, the touch panel 21 displays various screens and inputs various commands received from the user to the control device 30 according to the control of the control device 30. The speaker 22 outputs various guidance in voice according to the control of the control device 30.

[0025] The EPS system 40 includes a steering angle sensor 41, a torque sensor 42, an EPS motor 43, a resolver 44, and an EPS ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 45. The steering angle sensor 41 detects the steering angle θst of the steering 46. The torque sensor 42 detects the torque TQ applied to the steering 46. The EPS motor 43 assists the operation of the steering 46 (in other words, steering) by applying a driving force or reaction force to the steering column 47 connected to the steering 46. The resolver 44 detects the rotation angle θm of the EPS motor 43.

[0026] The EPS ECU 45 is configured to include, for example, an input / output unit, a calculation unit, and a storage unit (none of which are shown), and controls the entire EPS system 40. The EPS ECU 45 also outputs information to the control device 30 indicating the steering angle θst of the steering 46 detected by the steering angle sensor 41. Furthermore, the EPS ECU 45 may also output information to the control device 30 indicating the steering speed ω of the steering 46. The steering speed ω can be obtained, for example, by differentiating the steering angle θst with respect to time.

[0027] The communication unit 50 is a communication interface that communicates with the external device 2 according to the control of the control device 30. That is, the control device 30 can communicate with the external device 2 via the communication unit 50. Examples of the external device 2 include the driver's terminal device (e.g., a smartphone) and a server device managed by the manufacturer of the vehicle 1. For communication between the vehicle 1 and the external device 2, for example, a mobile communication network such as a cellular line, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc., can be used.

[0028] The drive force control system 60 includes a drive ECU 61 and is configured to control the drive force of the vehicle 1. The drive ECU 61 is configured to include, for example, an input / output unit, a calculation unit, and a storage unit (none of which are shown), and controls the drive force of the vehicle 1 by controlling the internal combustion engine, electric motor, etc., which are the drive source of the vehicle 1, based on operations on the accelerator pedal 62 provided on the vehicle 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "accelerator operation") and instructions from the control device 30.

[0029] The braking force control system 70 includes a braking ECU 71 and is configured to control the braking force of the vehicle 1. The braking ECU 71 is configured to include, for example, an input / output unit, a calculation unit, and a storage unit (none of which are shown), and controls the braking force of the vehicle 1 by controlling the brake device (not shown) of the vehicle 1 based on an operation on the brake pedal 72 provided on the vehicle 1 (hereinafter also referred to as "brake operation") or instructions from the control device 30. The brake device of the vehicle 1 is configured to include, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, and an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder. The braking ECU 71 then generates a braking force corresponding to the brake operation by controlling the electric motor of the brake device based on the brake operation or instructions from the control device 30.

[0030] The notification device 90 is comprised of, for example, a MID (Multi Information Display) 91 and a buzzer 92.

[0031] The MID91 consists of an image-displaying device (e.g., a liquid crystal display) and is installed in a position visible to an occupant (i.e., the driver) seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle 1 (e.g., within the instrument panel of the vehicle 1). The MID91 displays various screens according to the control of the control device 30. For example, when the control device 30 performs the collision suppression control described later, the MID91 may display a notification image informing the driver that the vehicle 1 may collide with an obstacle and / or that it is instructed to apply the brakes. The MID91 may also be shared with the display device of the touch panel 21.

[0032] The buzzer 92 outputs a predetermined notification sound to the occupants of the vehicle 1 in accordance with the control of the control device 30. For example, when the control device 30 performs the collision suppression control described later, the buzzer 92 outputs a predetermined warning sound as a notification sound indicating that the vehicle 1 may collide with an obstacle. The buzzer 92 may be shared with the speaker 22.

[0033] [Control device] The control device 30 is a device (computer) that provides overall control of the entire vehicle 1 based on information input from the sensor group 10, navigation device 20, EPS system 40, communication unit 50, drive force control system 60, braking force control system 70, etc.

[0034] The control device 30 includes, for example, an input / output unit 31, a control unit 32, and a storage unit 37. The input / output unit 31 is an interface that performs data input and output between the inside and outside of the control device 30 according to the control of the control unit 32. The storage unit 37 is composed of, for example, a non-volatile storage medium such as flash memory, and stores various information (e.g., data and programs) for controlling the operation of the vehicle 1.

[0035] The control unit 32 is composed of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and controls each component included in the vehicle 1 by executing a program stored in the memory unit 37, etc. In this embodiment, the control unit 32 includes a recognition unit 33, a first prediction unit 34, a second prediction unit 35, and a collision suppression control unit 36 ​​as functional units realized by the processor executing a program.

[0036] The recognition unit 33 recognizes objects around vehicle 1 and their positions based on surrounding information acquired by the sensor group 10 (for example, cameras 11a to 11d and sonar groups 12a to 12d). For example, the recognition unit 33 recognizes obstacles, road shapes, traffic lights, guardrails, lane markings, and traffic participants other than vehicle 1, and recognizes their positions. Here, traffic participants can be, for example, automobiles (including motorcycles) and pedestrians. More specifically, the recognition unit 33 recognizes traffic participants such as other vehicles (for example, oncoming vehicles) and pedestrians moving around vehicle 1. If there are multiple traffic participants around vehicle 1, the recognition unit 33 recognizes each of the multiple traffic participants.

[0037] The first prediction unit 34 predicts the movement trajectory of a traffic participant (in other words, the path the traffic participant may take in the future) when the recognition unit 33 recognizes a traffic participant moving around the vehicle 1. Furthermore, if multiple traffic participants are recognized by the recognition unit 33, the first prediction unit 34 predicts, for example, the movement trajectory of each traffic participant. The movement trajectory of a traffic participant can be predicted based on, for example, the velocity vector of the traffic participant and the orientation of the traffic participant (more specifically, the direction in which the front of the traffic participant is facing), or both.

[0038] The second prediction unit 35 predicts the vehicle's trajectory, which is the vehicle's movement path. The vehicle's trajectory can be predicted, for example, based on either the vehicle's velocity vector and / or direction of travel.

[0039] The collision suppression control unit 36 ​​performs collision suppression control based on the movement trajectory of the traffic participant predicted by the first prediction unit 34 and the vehicle's movement trajectory predicted by the second prediction unit 35. More specifically, the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​performs collision suppression control when it determines, based on the predicted movement trajectory of the traffic participant and the vehicle's movement trajectory, that there is a possibility that vehicle 1 will collide with a traffic participant. For example, the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​may determine that there is a possibility that vehicle 1 will collide with a traffic participant when the movement trajectory of the vehicle intersects with the movement trajectory of the vehicle.

[0040] Collision suppression control includes, for example, deceleration control to slow down vehicle 1, and / or notification control to provide a predetermined notification (for example, a notification that a collision is possible) to the occupants of vehicle 1 (e.g., the driver) via a notification device 90 provided by vehicle 1. When vehicle 1 is likely to collide with a traffic participant, such collision suppression control is automatically executed to prevent vehicle 1 from colliding with the traffic participant, thereby improving the safety of vehicle 1.

[0041] In this embodiment, when the vehicle's own vehicle's

[0042] For example, in this case, the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​may determine that vehicle 1 is likely to collide with a traffic participant, provided that the TTC (Time To Collision) between vehicle 1 and the predicted stopping position falls below a threshold. The TTC between vehicle 1 and the predicted stopping position can be determined, for example, by dividing the distance from vehicle 1's current position to the predicted stopping position by the vehicle 1's speed.

[0043] In other words, if an obstacle exists on one of the movement paths, it is considered that one of the traffic participants will eventually stop due to that obstacle. Therefore, if an obstacle exists on one of the movement paths beyond the first point where one of the movement paths and the vehicle's movement path intersect, the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​determines whether there is a possibility of vehicle 1 colliding with one of the traffic participants based on the predicted stopping position where one of the traffic participants may stop due to that obstacle, and if it determines that there is a possibility of collision, it executes collision suppression control.

[0044] With this configuration of the embodiment, it becomes possible to perform collision suppression control in anticipation of a traffic participant stopping at a predicted stopping position in the future. This allows for earlier execution of collision suppression control compared to the case where collision suppression control is performed only when a traffic participant that has stopped due to an obstacle and vehicle 1 are about to actually collide. Therefore, it becomes possible to suppress a collision between vehicle 1 and a traffic participant from an earlier stage, thereby improving the safety of vehicle 1. In turn, this can improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0045] More specifically, the collision suppression control unit 36, for example, if the predicted stopping position coincides with the vehicle's trajectory, determines based on the predicted stopping position that there is a possibility of vehicle 1 colliding with a traffic participant, and executes collision suppression control. This makes it possible to advance the timing of the execution of collision suppression control when there is a possibility of vehicle 1 colliding with a traffic participant that has stopped at the predicted stopping position.

[0046] Furthermore, if the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​determines that there are no obstacles on the first movement path beyond the first point where the first movement path and the vehicle's movement path intersect, it will execute collision suppression control if it determines, based on the current position of the traffic participant, that there is a possibility that vehicle 1 will collide with the traffic participant. In other words, in this case, instead of the predicted stopping position described above, the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​determines whether there is a possibility that vehicle 1 will collide with the traffic participant based on the current position of the traffic participant.

[0047] For example, in this case, the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​may determine that vehicle 1 is likely to collide with a traffic participant, provided that the time to traffic distance (TTC) between vehicle 1 and a traffic participant falls below a threshold. The TTC between vehicle 1 and a traffic participant can be determined, for example, by dividing the distance from the current position of vehicle 1 to the current position of the traffic participant by the relative speed between vehicle 1 and the traffic participant.

[0048] Thus, when there are no obstacles on a single travel trajectory and it is considered that a single traffic participant can proceed smoothly, the control device 30 does not prematurely execute the collision suppression control, so that the collision suppression control can be executed when there is a possibility of an actual collision between the traffic participant and vehicle 1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the collision suppression control from being executed excessively.

[0049] Furthermore, the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​may predict a predicted stopping position based on an obstacle that may exist in the future on a moving trajectory beyond the first point, and determine whether or not there is a possibility that vehicle 1 will collide with a traffic participant based on the predicted stopping position.

[0050] For example, the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​may determine that an obstacle exists on the first movement trajectory beyond the first point if a second point exists on the first movement trajectory beyond the first point where the first movement trajectory intersects with another movement trajectory, which is the movement trajectory of another traffic participant different from that of one traffic participant. If the collision suppression control unit 36 ​​determines that an obstacle exists due to the existence of such a second point, it may predict a predicted stopping position based on the second point and the first movement trajectory.

[0051] With this configuration, it becomes possible to perform collision suppression control in anticipation of a traffic participant stopping at a predicted stopping position in the future due to other traffic participants that may be present on the same trajectory. This allows for earlier execution of collision suppression control compared to a case where collision suppression control is performed only when a collision between the traffic participant that has stopped due to other traffic participants and vehicle 1 is about to occur. Therefore, collisions between vehicle 1 and the traffic participant can be suppressed from an earlier stage, improving the safety of vehicle 1.

[0052] [Operating concept of collision suppression control] Next, with reference to Figure 2, an example of the operation concept of collision suppression control by the control device 30 will be described. That is, the control device 30 may perform (i.e., operate) collision suppression control as described below.

[0053] For example, suppose that when vehicle 1 is going straight through an intersection, there is an oncoming vehicle A that is turning (for example, turning right) at that intersection (Step S1: YES), and that oncoming vehicle A is in motion (for example, the speed of oncoming vehicle A is 10 km / h or more) (Step S2: YES).

[0054] In such a case, the control device 30 determines whether there is a possibility of vehicle 1 colliding with oncoming vehicle A, for example, based on the TTC between vehicle 1 and oncoming vehicle A. If it determines that there is a possibility of vehicle 1 colliding with oncoming vehicle A, for example, because the TTC between vehicle 1 and oncoming vehicle A is below a threshold (step S3: YES), the control device 30 activates collision suppression control (step S4).

[0055] On the other hand, if vehicle 1 determines that there is no possibility of collision with oncoming vehicle A at this time, the control device 30 determines whether oncoming vehicle A may come into contact with a pedestrian crossing the road ahead (hereinafter also referred to as "pedestrian crossing"). If it determines that oncoming vehicle A may come into contact with a pedestrian crossing at the turn (step S5: YES), the control device 30 determines whether the predicted stopping position of oncoming vehicle A due to the pedestrian crossing is on the vehicle's trajectory. If it determines that the predicted stopping position of oncoming vehicle A is on the vehicle's trajectory (step S6: YES), the control device 30 activates collision suppression control (step S4).

[0056] Furthermore, if the control device 30 determines that oncoming vehicle A will not collide with a pedestrian crossing at its turning point (Step S5: NO), or if it determines that the predicted stopping position of oncoming vehicle A is not on the vehicle's movement path (Step S6: NO), the control device 30 determines whether vehicle 1 will reach the point where oncoming vehicle A passed within a predetermined time (e.g., 1 sec) after oncoming vehicle A has passed (Step S7: YES), the control device 30 activates collision suppression control (Step S4).

[0057] In other words, the control device 30 (more specifically, the collision suppression control unit 36) activates collision suppression control when, for example, the movement trajectory of the oncoming vehicle A and the movement trajectory of the own vehicle intersect, and it is predicted that vehicle 1 will reach the first point where the oncoming vehicle A and the movement trajectory of the own vehicle intersect within a predetermined time after the oncoming vehicle A reaches the first point where the movement trajectory of the oncoming vehicle A and the movement trajectory of the own vehicle intersect. In this way, if vehicle 1 reaches the point where the oncoming vehicle A has passed on the own vehicle's movement trajectory within a predetermined time, activating collision suppression control can prevent vehicle 1 from getting too close to the oncoming vehicle A, thereby improving the safety of vehicle 1. That is, if there is a possibility that the oncoming vehicle A and vehicle 1 will approach each other within a reasonable distance, executing collision suppression control can prevent a collision between the oncoming vehicle A and vehicle 1, thereby improving the safety of vehicle 1.

[0058] On the other hand, if a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since oncoming vehicle A passed on the vehicle's trajectory before vehicle 1 reaches that point (step S7: NO), the control device 30 does not activate collision suppression control (step S8). Also, if vehicle 1 is going straight through an intersection and there is no oncoming vehicle A turning at that intersection (step S1: NO), the control device 30 does not activate collision suppression control (step S8).

[0059] Furthermore, if oncoming vehicle A is present but is not in motion (Step S2: NO) and is not stopped on the vehicle's trajectory (Step S9: NO), the control device 30 will not activate collision suppression control (Step S8). On the other hand, if oncoming vehicle A is stopped on the vehicle's trajectory (Step S9: YES), the control device 30 will activate collision suppression control (Step S4).

[0060] [First example of vehicle operation] Next, with reference to Figures 3 and 4, we will describe a first example of the specific operation of Vehicle 1.

[0061] In Figure 3, road R1 is a single-lane road in each direction, consisting of two lanes L1 and L2 separated by a center line CL. Vehicle 1 is traveling in one lane L1 from bottom to top in Figure 3. In the other lane L2, there is an oncoming vehicle Tgt1, which is another traffic participant. More specifically, in the example shown in Figure 3, there is an intersection IS in front of vehicle 1, and the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 is about to turn right at intersection IS. Also, a pedestrian Tgt2, another traffic participant, is about to cross road R2, which vehicle Tgt1 will be traveling on after turning right.

[0062] In such a case, when vehicle 1 is traveling on road R1, the control device 30 predicts the movement trajectory of the oncoming vehicle Tgt1, which is the movement trajectory of the opposing vehicle Tgt1, and the movement trajectory of vehicle 1, which is the movement trajectory of vehicle 1, which is the movement trajectory of vehicle 1, and determines whether or not there is an obstacle on the movement trajectory of the other vehicle beyond the first point P1 where the movement trajectory of the other vehicle Orb1 and the movement trajectory of vehicle 1, which is the movement trajectory of vehicle 1.

[0063] In this example, the control device 30 determines that an obstacle exists on the other vehicle movement path Orb1 beyond the first point P1 because the second point P2, where the obstacle movement path Orb3 (which is the movement path of the pedestrian crossing Tgt2) intersects with the other vehicle movement path Orb1, is located on the other vehicle movement path Orb1 beyond the first point P1.

[0064] In such cases, the control device 30 predicts the stopping position SP of the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 caused by the crossing pedestrian Tgt2 (hereinafter also referred to as the "predicted stopping position SP") based on the second point P2 and the other vehicle's movement trajectory Orb1. For example, the control device 30 predicts a predetermined area (for example, an area that can accommodate a car of average size) based on a position that is a predetermined distance d1 (for example, 1 [m]) before the second point P2 in the other vehicle's movement trajectory Orb1 as the predicted stopping position SP.

[0065] As shown in Figure 3, for example, suppose that at least a portion of the predicted stopping position SP overlaps with the vehicle's movement trajectory Orb2. In such a case, the control device 30 activates collision suppression control when the TTC between the vehicle 1 and the predicted stopping position SP falls below a threshold. More specifically, for example, the control device 30 performs notification control when the TTC between the vehicle 1 and the predicted stopping position SP falls below a first threshold, and performs deceleration control in addition to notification control when it falls below a second threshold which is smaller than the first threshold. These thresholds are set in advance by, for example, the manufacturer of the vehicle 1.

[0066] Thus, when an oncoming vehicle Tgt1 is likely to collide with a pedestrian crossing Tgt2 at its turning point, the collision suppression control is activated based on the fact that the TTC between the predicted stopping position SP of the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 and vehicle 1, caused by the pedestrian crossing Tgt2, falls below a threshold. This allows for an earlier execution of the collision suppression control compared to activating the control only when vehicle 1 is about to actually collide with the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 that has stopped at the predicted stopping position SP. In other words, the collision suppression control can be activated in anticipation of the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 stopping at the predicted stopping position SP in the future. Therefore, a collision between vehicle 1 and oncoming vehicle Tgt1 can be suppressed from an earlier timing, improving the safety of vehicle 1.

[0067] On the other hand, if the control device 30 determines that there are no obstacles on the other vehicle's movement trajectory Orb1, such as when there is no pedestrian crossing Tgt2, the control device 30 will activate collision suppression control when, for example, the TTC between vehicle 1 and oncoming vehicle Tgt1 falls below a threshold. In other words, if there are no obstacles on the other vehicle's movement trajectory Orb1, it is assumed that the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 will proceed smoothly without stopping (turning right in the example shown in Figure 3). Therefore, in such cases, the control device 30 can suppress a collision between vehicle 1 and oncoming vehicle Tgt1 while preventing excessive activation of the collision suppression control by activating the collision suppression control at the conventional timing.

[0068] Figure 4 is a timing chart showing a more detailed example of the operation of vehicle 1 (in other words, control device 30) in the first example shown in Figure 3.

[0069] In Figure 4, V_ego is the speed of vehicle 1. V1_tgt is the speed of oncoming vehicle Tgt1. V2_tgt is the speed of pedestrian crossing Tgt2. Tgt1 Collision Judgment is the collision detection flag between oncoming vehicle Tgt1 and the obstacle (in this case, pedestrian crossing Tgt2). Tgt1ToTgt2 TTC is the TTC between oncoming vehicle Tgt1 and pedestrian crossing Tgt2. EgoToTgt1 TTC is the TTC between vehicle 1 and oncoming vehicle Tgt1 (for example, when Tgt1 Collision Judgment is "0") or the predicted stopping position SP (for example, when Tgt1 Collision Judgment is "1"). CMBS Trigger is the activation trigger for collision suppression control. In Figure 4, solid lines within each item represent examples according to this embodiment, and dashed lines within each item represent conventional examples.

[0070] During the period from time t0 to time t1, the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 is stopped at intersection IS (for example, in a state of "waiting to turn right"). Also, as indicated by arrow 400, pedestrian Tgt2 is moving, and as indicated by arrow 401, vehicle 1 is also moving.

[0071] At time t1, the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 begins to turn (for example, to the right) (see arrow 402 in Figure 4), causing the oncoming vehicle Tgt1's speed, V1_tgt, to become greater than 0 [km / h]. Then, at time t2, when the oncoming vehicle Tgt1, which is turning, reaches a predetermined speed or higher, the control device 30 determines whether the oncoming vehicle Tgt1's trajectory Orb1 and the pedestrian Tgt2's obstacle trajectory Orb3 intersect (in other words, whether an obstacle exists on the oncoming vehicle trajectory Orb1). If the control device 30 determines that the oncoming vehicle trajectory Orb1 and the obstacle trajectory Orb3 intersect, it sets a collision judgment flag (Tgt1 Collision Judgment) between the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 and the obstacle (for example, to "1").

[0072] When the collision detection flag between the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 and the obstacle is set in this manner, the control device 30 predicts the predicted stopping position SP of the oncoming vehicle Tgt1. In the example shown in Figure 4, the control device 30 performs the process of predicting the predicted stopping position SP during the period from time t2 to time t3.

[0073] Then, when the control device 30 predicts the predicted stopping position SP, it calculates the TTC between the vehicle 1 and the predicted stopping position SP, and determines whether this TTC has fallen below a first threshold, and further, whether it has fallen below a second threshold.

[0074] In the example shown in Figure 4, at time t4, the TTC between vehicle 1 and predicted stopping position SP falls below the first threshold, so the control device 30 turns on the collision suppression control activation trigger (CMBS Trigger). Therefore, from time t4, the control device 30 activates the notification control, which is part of the collision suppression control. In this way, the control device 30 can execute collision suppression control (in this case, notification control) from time t4, anticipating that the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 will stop at the predicted stopping position SP in the future due to a pedestrian crossing Tgt2.

[0075] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 4, the driver immediately initiated braking in response to the notification (warning) from the notification control at time t4, causing the vehicle's speed, V_ego, to decrease immediately after time t4. As a result, the EgoToTgt1 TTC between vehicle 1 and oncoming vehicle Tgt1 did not fall below the second threshold (i.e., no deceleration control was performed), and vehicle 1 stopped at time t6, thus avoiding a collision between vehicle 1 and oncoming vehicle Tgt1.

[0076] In contrast, in the conventional example, the collision suppression control activation trigger (CMBS Trigger) is not activated until time t5, when the TTC between vehicle 1 and the oncoming vehicle Tgt1, which is actually stopped at the predicted stopping position SP, falls below the first threshold. As a result, compared to the example of this embodiment, the start of collision suppression control is delayed, and for example, the TTC between vehicle 1 and the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 is more likely to fall below the second threshold (i.e., deceleration control is more likely to occur).

[0077] Thus, according to the example of this embodiment, compared to the conventional example where collision suppression control is executed only when the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 and vehicle 1 are about to collide, the timing of execution of collision suppression control can be made earlier, thereby improving the safety of vehicle 1.

[0078] [Examples 2 and 3 of vehicle operation] Next, with reference to Figure 5, the second and third examples of the operation of vehicle 1 will be described. In the following, the explanation will focus on the differences from the first example described above, and the explanation of parts that are common to the first example will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. Also, the operation of the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 and the crossing pedestrian Tgt2 in the second and third examples is the same as in the first example.

[0079] In Figure 5, d10 is the width of lane L1 in which vehicle 1 travels at the point where the predicted stopping position SP overlaps with the vehicle's movement trajectory Orb2. Also, d11 is the distance from the left end L1a of lane L1 to the right end SPa of the predicted stopping position SP, in other words, the widthwise distance of the overlapping portion of lane L1 and the predicted stopping position SP. And d12 is the distance from the right end SPa of the predicted stopping position SP to the center line CL of road R1, in other words, the distance obtained by subtracting d11, the width of lane L1 where lane L1 and the predicted stopping position SP overlap, from d10 (i.e., d12 = d10 - d11).

[0080] In the second and third examples, as in the first example described above, the control device 30 predicts, for example, the movement trajectory of another vehicle Orb1 and the movement trajectory of the vehicle Orb2 when vehicle 1 is traveling on road R1. When the movement trajectory of another vehicle Orb1 and the movement trajectory of the vehicle Orb2 intersect, the control device 30 determines whether there is an obstacle, such as a second point P2 that intersects with the obstacle movement trajectory Orb3, on the movement trajectory of another vehicle Orb1 beyond the first point P1 where the movement trajectory of another vehicle Orb1 and the movement trajectory of the vehicle Orb2 intersect. If it determines that such an obstacle exists, the control device 30 predicts the predicted stopping position SP of the oncoming vehicle Tgt1.

[0081] As a second example, the control device 30 (more specifically, the collision suppression control unit 36) may execute collision suppression control if it determines, based on the predicted stopping position SP, that there is a possibility that vehicle 1 will collide with an oncoming vehicle Tgt1 when d10 is less than or equal to a predetermined value. More specifically, the control device 30 may execute collision suppression control based on the TTC between vehicle 1 and the predicted stopping position SP when d10 is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and execute collision suppression control based on the TTC between vehicle 1 and the oncoming vehicle Tgt1 when d10 is greater than a predetermined value. Here, the predetermined value is, for example, a value that is sufficiently large compared to the width dimension D of vehicle 1.

[0082] In other words, if d10 is less than or equal to a predetermined value, it is considered that there is not enough space in lane L1 for vehicle 1 to avoid oncoming vehicle Tgt1 that has stopped at the predicted stopping position SP. Therefore, in such cases, the safety of vehicle 1 can be improved by accelerating the execution timing of collision suppression control. On the other hand, if d10 is sufficiently larger than the width dimension D of vehicle 1 (i.e., d10 >> D), it is considered that there is enough space in lane L1 for vehicle 1 to avoid oncoming vehicle Tgt1 that has stopped at the predicted stopping position SP. Therefore, in such cases, it is possible to prevent excessive execution of collision suppression control by not accelerating the execution timing of collision suppression control.

[0083] As a third example, the control device 30 (more specifically, the collision suppression control unit 36) may execute collision suppression control if it determines, based on the predicted stopping position SP, that there is a possibility that vehicle 1 will collide with oncoming vehicle Tgt1 when d12 is less than or equal to a predetermined value. More specifically, the control device 30 may execute collision suppression control based on the TTC between vehicle 1 and the predicted stopping position SP when d12 is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and execute collision suppression control based on the TTC between vehicle 1 and oncoming vehicle Tgt1 when d12 is greater than a predetermined value. Here, the predetermined value is set in advance based on the width dimension D of vehicle 1, for example, and as a specific example, it can be the width dimension D of vehicle 1 plus a predetermined margin (for example, 50 [cm]).

[0084] In other words, if d12 is below a predetermined value, it is considered difficult for vehicle 1 to proceed without deviating from lane L1 and avoiding oncoming vehicle Tgt1 stopped at predicted stopping position SP. Therefore, in such cases, the safety of vehicle 1 can be improved by accelerating the execution timing of collision suppression control. On the other hand, if d12 is sufficiently large (for example, if d12 > D), it is considered possible for vehicle 1 to proceed without deviating from lane L1 and avoiding oncoming vehicle Tgt1 stopped at predicted stopping position SP. Therefore, in such cases, it is possible to prevent excessive execution of collision suppression control by not accelerating the execution timing of collision suppression control.

[0085] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the embodiments described above may be combined in any way without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0086] For example, in the embodiments described above, a four-wheeled automobile was used as an example of a vehicle, but it is not limited to this. The vehicle to which the technology of this disclosure can be applied may also be a two-wheeled automobile (a so-called motorcycle).

[0087] This specification contains at least the following information. Note that the components etc. in parentheses indicate those corresponding to the embodiments described above, but are not limited thereto.

[0088] (1) A vehicle control device (control device 30) that controls a vehicle (vehicle 1), Based on the surrounding information of the vehicle acquired by the external sensors (sensor group 10) provided by the vehicle, a recognition unit (recognition unit 33) recognizes objects present around the vehicle, When traffic participants moving around the vehicle (oncoming vehicle A, oncoming vehicle Tgt1, crossing pedestrian Tgt2) are recognized as objects, a first prediction unit (first prediction unit 34) predicts the movement trajectory of the traffic participants (other vehicle movement trajectory Orb1, obstacle movement trajectory Orb3), A second prediction unit (second prediction unit 35) predicts the vehicle's movement trajectory, which is the vehicle's movement trajectory (vehicle movement trajectory Orb2), A collision suppression control unit (collision suppression control unit 36) performs collision suppression control based on the predicted movement trajectory of the traffic participant and the movement trajectory of the vehicle itself, Equipped with, The collision suppression control unit, When the movement path of one of the traffic participants (other vehicle movement path Orb1) intersects with the vehicle's own movement path, it is determined whether or not an obstacle (obstacle movement path Orb3) exists on the movement path beyond the first point (first point P1) where the two movement paths intersect. If it is determined that the aforementioned obstacle exists, the stopping position (predicted stopping position SP) of the traffic participant is predicted based on the location of the obstacle and the aforementioned trajectory. If, based on the predicted stopping position, it is determined that the vehicle may collide with the one traffic participant, the collision suppression control is executed. Vehicle control system.

[0089] If an obstacle exists on a movement path of a moving traffic participant, it is assumed that the traffic participant will eventually stop due to that obstacle. According to (1), when the movement path of one traffic participant and the vehicle's movement path intersect, and it is determined that an obstacle exists on the movement path beyond the first point where the movement paths intersect, the stopping position of the traffic participant based on that obstacle is predicted, and if it is determined that there is a possibility of the vehicle colliding with the traffic participant based on that stopping position, collision suppression control is executed. As a result, collision suppression control can be executed in anticipation of the traffic participant stopping in the future at a stopping position based on an obstacle on the movement path, so the timing of collision suppression control can be accelerated compared to when collision suppression control is executed only when the vehicle is about to actually collide with the traffic participant that has stopped at the stopping position, thereby improving vehicle safety. Ultimately, this can improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0090] (2) The vehicle control device described in (1), The collision suppression control unit, If a second point (second point P2) where the first movement path intersects with another movement path (obstacle movement path Orb3) of another traffic participant among the traffic participants lies on the first movement path beyond the first point, then it is determined that the obstacle exists. If the presence of the second point indicates the presence of the obstacle, the stopping position is predicted based on the second point and the first movement trajectory. Vehicle control system.

[0091] According to (2), collision suppression control can be performed in anticipation of the possibility that one traffic participant may stop at the stopping position due to other traffic participants that may be present on the same trajectory in the future. This allows for earlier execution of collision suppression control and improves vehicle safety.

[0092] (3) A vehicle control device as described in (1) or (2), The collision suppression control unit, If it is determined that the aforementioned obstacle does not exist, the collision suppression control is executed if it is determined that the vehicle may collide with the aforementioned traffic participant based on the current position of the aforementioned traffic participant. Vehicle control system.

[0093] According to (3), if there are no obstacles on a single trajectory and it is considered that a single traffic participant can proceed smoothly, the timing of the collision suppression control can be avoided, and it is possible to suppress the excessive execution of the collision suppression control.

[0094] (4) A vehicle control device as described in any of (1) to (3), The collision suppression control unit, If the stopping position coincides with the vehicle's movement trajectory, and it is determined based on the stopping position that the vehicle may collide with one of the traffic participants, the collision suppression control is executed. Vehicle control system.

[0095] According to (4), when there is a possibility of collision between a vehicle and a traffic participant that has stopped at a designated stopping point, the timing of the execution of collision suppression control can be brought forward.

[0096] (5) The vehicle control device described in (4), The collision suppression control unit, If the distance (d12) obtained by subtracting the portion (d11) overlapping with the stopping position from the width (d10) of the lane (lane L1) in which the vehicle is traveling (d10) is less than or equal to a predetermined value at the point where the stopping position overlaps with the vehicle's movement trajectory, then, based on the stopping position, it is determined that the vehicle may collide with the first traffic participant, and the collision suppression control is executed. Vehicle control system.

[0097] According to (5), if the distance obtained by subtracting the portion overlapping with the stopping position from the width of the lane the vehicle is traveling in at the point where the stopping position overlaps with the vehicle's trajectory is less than or equal to a predetermined value, it is considered difficult for the vehicle to proceed without deviating from the lane and avoiding a traffic participant stopped at the stopping position. According to (5), in such cases, the timing of the execution of collision suppression control can be advanced, thereby improving vehicle safety.

[0098] (6) The vehicle control device described in (5), The predetermined value is set based on the width dimension (D) of the vehicle. Vehicle control system.

[0099] According to (6), if the distance obtained by subtracting the portion overlapping with the stopping position from the width of the lane the vehicle is traveling in at the point where the stopping position overlaps with the vehicle's trajectory is less than or equal to a predetermined value set based on the vehicle's width dimension, it is considered difficult for the vehicle to proceed without deviating from the lane and avoiding a traffic participant stopped at the stopping position. According to (6), in such cases, the timing of the execution of collision suppression control can be advanced, thereby improving vehicle safety.

[0100] (7) A vehicle control device according to any one of (1) to (6), The collision suppression control includes deceleration control to slow down the vehicle, and / or notification control to provide a predetermined notification to the occupants of the vehicle via a notification device provided by the vehicle. Vehicle control system.

[0101] According to (7), when it is determined that a vehicle may collide with a traffic participant, collision suppression control is performed, which includes deceleration control to slow down the vehicle and / or notification control to provide a predetermined notification to the vehicle's occupants via a notification device provided by the vehicle. This suppresses a collision between the vehicle and a traffic participant and improves vehicle safety.

[0102] (8) A vehicle control device as described in any of (1) to (7), The collision suppression control unit further, The collision suppression control is executed when the aforementioned first movement trajectory and the vehicle's own movement trajectory intersect, and it is predicted that the vehicle will reach the first point within a predetermined time after the first traffic participant reaches the first point. Vehicle control system.

[0103] When the trajectory of one vehicle and the vehicle's trajectory intersect, and it is predicted that the vehicle will reach the first point where the trajectory of one vehicle and the vehicle's trajectory intersect within a predetermined time after the traffic participant reaches the first point where the trajectory of one vehicle and the vehicle's trajectory intersect, there is a risk that the traffic participant and the vehicle will approach each other at a distance less than appropriate. According to (8), when there is a possibility that the traffic participant and the vehicle will approach each other at a distance less than appropriate, collision suppression control can be performed to prevent a collision between the traffic participant and the vehicle, thereby improving vehicle safety. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0104] 1 vehicle 10 Sensor Groups (External Sensors) 30 Control device (vehicle control device) 33 Recognition part 34. First Prediction Section 35 Second Prediction Section 36 Collision suppression control unit D dimension d10 width L1 lane Orb1 Other vehicle movement track (first movement track) Orb2's own vehicle movement trajectory Orb3 Obstacle Movement Trajectory (Other Movement Trajectories) P1 First Point P2 2nd point SP Predicted Stop Position (Stop Position) Tgt1 Oncoming vehicle (traffic participant) Tgt2 Pedestrian crossing (obstacle)

Claims

1. A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle, A recognition unit that recognizes objects present around the vehicle based on information about the vehicle's surroundings acquired by external sensors provided by the vehicle, When a traffic participant moving around the vehicle is recognized as an object, a first prediction unit predicts the movement trajectory of the traffic participant, A second prediction unit predicts the vehicle's own movement trajectory, which is the vehicle's movement trajectory. A collision suppression control unit that performs collision suppression control based on the predicted movement trajectories of the traffic participants and the movement trajectory of the vehicle itself, Equipped with, The collision suppression control unit, When the movement path of one of the traffic participants intersects with the vehicle's own movement path, it is determined whether or not an obstacle exists on the movement path beyond the first point where the movement path of one traffic participant and the vehicle's own movement path intersect. If it is determined that the aforementioned obstacle exists, the stopping position of the first traffic participant is predicted based on the location of the obstacle and the first movement trajectory. If, based on the predicted stopping position, it is determined that the vehicle may collide with the one traffic participant, the collision suppression control is executed. Vehicle control device.

2. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, The collision suppression control unit, If the first movement path intersects with another movement path of another traffic participant among the traffic participants at a second point located on the first movement path beyond the first point, then it is determined that the obstacle exists. If the presence of the second point indicates the presence of the obstacle, the stopping position is predicted based on the second point and the first movement trajectory. Vehicle control device.

3. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, The collision suppression control unit, If it is determined that the aforementioned obstacle does not exist, the collision suppression control is executed if it is determined that the vehicle may collide with the aforementioned traffic participant based on the current position of the aforementioned traffic participant. Vehicle control device.

4. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, The collision suppression control unit, If the stopping position coincides with the vehicle's movement trajectory, and it is determined based on the stopping position that the vehicle may collide with one of the traffic participants, the collision suppression control is executed. Vehicle control device.

5. A vehicle control device according to claim 4, The collision suppression control unit, If the distance obtained by subtracting the portion overlapping with the stopping position from the width of the lane the vehicle is traveling in at the point where the stopping position overlaps with the vehicle's movement path is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and if it is determined based on the stopping position that the vehicle may collide with one of the traffic participants, the collision suppression control is executed. Vehicle control device.

6. A vehicle control device according to claim 5, The predetermined value is set based on the width dimension of the vehicle. Vehicle control device.

7. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, The collision suppression control includes deceleration control to slow down the vehicle, and / or notification control to provide a predetermined notification to the occupants of the vehicle via a notification device provided by the vehicle. Vehicle control device.

8. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, The collision suppression control unit further, The collision suppression control is executed when the aforementioned first movement trajectory and the vehicle's own movement trajectory intersect, and it is predicted that the vehicle will reach the first point within a predetermined time after the first traffic participant reaches the first point. Vehicle control device.

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