Vehicle control program, vehicle control device, and vehicle control method

Abstract

To perform more appropriate vehicle control.SOLUTION: This vehicle control program causes a computer to recognize a surrounding state of an own vehicle, detect an acceleration operation of the own vehicle by a driver of the own vehicle, detect contact of the driver with a steering operator, generate a target track and a target speed of the own vehicle on the basis of the surrounding state, and execute driving control based on steering control of the own vehicle with respect to the target track and speed control of the own vehicle with respect to the target speed. The driving control includes a driving state where the contact of the driver with the steering operator is necessary and a driving state where the contact is not necessary. In the driving state where the contact with the steering operator is not necessary, if the speed of the own vehicle is equal to or lower than a speed threshold value when the acceleration operation of the driver is detected, acceleration of the own vehicle in a driving state until the speed is higher than the speed threshold value is permitted. If it is higher than the speed threshold value, the acceleration of the own vehicle until the contact of the driver with the steering operator is detected is suppressed, and the driver is requested to contact with the steering operator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, efforts have been actively made to provide access to a sustainable transportation system that takes into account people in vulnerable positions among traffic participants. Toward this realization, research and development have focused on further improving traffic safety and convenience through research and development related to driving support technology. In this regard, in recent years, when the user-requested driving force exceeds the system-requested driving force while the user is not in contact with the operator, driving control is performed by restricting the user-requested driving force, and when the user-requested driving force exceeds the system-requested driving force while the user is in contact with the operator, a technique for performing driving control without imposing a restriction has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in driving support technology, the details of driving control according to the driving situation of the driver and the situation of the vehicle have not been studied, and there has been a problem that appropriate driving control according to the situation and the like may not be possible.

[0005] One of the objectives of the present application is to provide a vehicle control program, a vehicle control device, and a vehicle control method that can perform more appropriate driving control according to the driving situation of the driver and the situation of the vehicle in order to solve the above problems. And, by extension, it contributes to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle control program, vehicle control device, and vehicle control method according to this invention employ the following configuration. (1) A vehicle control program according to one aspect of the present invention causes a computer to recognize the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, to detect acceleration operations of the vehicle by the driver of the vehicle, to detect contact of the driver with the steering control unit for steering the vehicle, to generate a target trajectory and target speed of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions, to execute driving control based on steering control of the vehicle with respect to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the vehicle with respect to the target speed, and the driving control includes driving conditions and prior to driving conditions that require contact of the driver with the steering control unit. The vehicle control program includes a driving state in which no contact is required, and in a driving state in which no contact by the driver with the steering control is required, if the driver's acceleration operation is detected, and the vehicle's speed is below a speed threshold, the program allows the vehicle to accelerate in the driving state until the vehicle's speed exceeds the speed threshold, and if the vehicle's speed is greater than the speed threshold, the program suppresses the vehicle's acceleration until the driver's contact with the steering control is detected, and prompts the driver to make contact with the steering control.

[0007] (2): In the embodiment of (1) above, if the driver's contact with the steering control is detected within a predetermined time after the driver is requested to contact the steering control, the driving control is executed in a driving state in which the driver's contact with the steering control is required.

[0008] (3) In the embodiment of (2) above, the driving control is terminated if contact of the driver with the steering control is detected after the predetermined time has elapsed.

[0009] (4) In the embodiment of (1) above, if the acceleration of the vehicle due to the driver's acceleration operation is below the acceleration threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle due to the driver's acceleration operation is permitted, and if it is not below the acceleration threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle due to the driver's acceleration operation is suppressed, and the driver is required to make contact with the steering control.

[0010] (5) In the embodiment of (4) above, the acceleration threshold is set to a smaller value as the speed of the vehicle increases.

[0011] (6) In the embodiment of (4) above, the acceleration threshold is set to a constant value when the speed of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed.

[0012] (7) In the embodiment of (1) above, the speed threshold is made different when the vehicle is traveling on a curved road and when it is not traveling on a curved road.

[0013] (8) In the embodiment of (7) above, when the vehicle is traveling on the curved road, the speed threshold is set to a speed that does not exceed the upper limit of lateral acceleration.

[0014] (9) In the embodiment of (1) above, if the driver's contact with the steering control is detected, the acceleration of the vehicle is not suppressed even if the vehicle accelerates due to the driver's acceleration operation and the vehicle's speed exceeds the speed threshold.

[0015] (10): In the embodiment of (7) above, when the vehicle is traveling at a position more than a predetermined distance before the curved road, the target speed is generated based on the information of the curved road obtained from the map information.

[0016] (11): In the embodiment of (7) above, when the vehicle is traveling on the curved road, the target speed is generated based on information about the curved road obtained from output information from an external environment detection device mounted on the vehicle.

[0017] (12): In the embodiment of (1) above, the speed threshold includes a first speed threshold when the driver is in contact with the steering control and a second speed threshold when the driver is not in contact with the steering control, and in a driving state in which the driver does not need to contact the steering control, when an acceleration operation by the driver is detected, if the speed of the vehicle is less than or equal to the second speed threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle in the driving state is permitted until the speed of the vehicle exceeds the second speed threshold, and if the speed of the vehicle is greater than the second speed threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle is suppressed until the driver's contact with the steering control is detected, and the driver is required to make contact with the steering control.

[0018] (13) A vehicle control device according to another aspect of the present invention includes: a recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle; an acceleration detection unit that detects acceleration operations of the vehicle by the driver of the vehicle; a steering detection unit that detects contact of the driver with a steering control unit for steering the vehicle; and a driving control unit that generates a target trajectory and a target speed of the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions, and executes driving control based on steering control of the vehicle with respect to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the vehicle with respect to the target speed, wherein the driving control is an operating state in which contact of the driver with the steering control unit is required and The vehicle control device includes an operating state in which no contact is required, and in an operating state in which no contact by the driver with the steering control is required, when the acceleration detection unit detects an acceleration operation by the driver, if the speed of the vehicle is less than or equal to a speed threshold, the control unit permits acceleration of the vehicle in the operating state until the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold, and if the speed of the vehicle is greater than the speed threshold, the control unit suppresses acceleration of the vehicle until contact by the driver with the steering control is detected, and requests the driver to make contact with the steering control.

[0019] (14) A vehicle control method according to another aspect of the present invention includes a computer recognizing the surrounding situation of the host vehicle, detecting an acceleration operation of the host vehicle by the driver of the host vehicle, detecting contact of the driver with a steering operator that performs a steering operation of the host vehicle, generating a target trajectory and a target speed of the host vehicle based on the surrounding situation, executing driving control based on steering control of the host vehicle with respect to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the host vehicle with respect to the target speed, the driving control including a driving state that requires contact of the driver with the steering operator and a driving state that does not require such contact, and in a driving state that does not require contact of the driver with the steering operator, when an acceleration operation of the driver is detected and the speed of the host vehicle is below a speed threshold, allowing the host vehicle to accelerate in the driving state until the speed of the host vehicle becomes greater than the speed threshold, and when the speed of the host vehicle is greater than the speed threshold, suppressing the acceleration of the host vehicle until contact of the driver with the steering operator is detected, and requesting the driver to contact the steering operator.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the aspects (1) to (14) above, more appropriate driving control can be performed according to the driving situation of the driver and the situation of the vehicle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a configuration diagram of the host vehicle M equipped with the vehicle control device of the embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing an example of conventional driving control. [Figure 3] It is a diagram for explaining the transition of the driving state in the embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of the transition conditions of the driving state. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for explaining the acceleration control in the hands-off state. <000​​​ [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing an example of the process executed by the driving support device 100 in an embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle control program, a vehicle control device, and a vehicle control method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0023] [Overall Configuration] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a host vehicle M equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment. The host vehicle M is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using electric power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharge power of a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0024] The host vehicle M is equipped with, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driver monitor camera 70, a driving operator 80, a driving support device 100, a traveling driving force output device 200, a brake device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other by a multiplex communication line such as a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line, a serial communication line, a wireless communication network, or the like. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is merely an example, and a part of the configuration may be omitted, or another configuration may be added. The HMI 30 is an example of a "notification unit". The driving support device 100 is an example of a "vehicle control device".

[0025] Camera 10 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). Camera 10 can be mounted at any location on the vehicle M. When imaging the area in front, camera 10 can be mounted on the top of the front windshield or behind the rearview mirror, etc. Camera 10 periodically and repeatedly images the area around the vehicle M. Camera 10 may also be a stereo camera.

[0026] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle M and detects radio waves reflected by objects (reflected waves) to determine at least the position (distance and bearing) of an object. The radar device 12 can be mounted at any location on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 may also detect the position and velocity of an object using the FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0027] The LIDAR 14 irradiates light (or electromagnetic waves with a wavelength close to light) around the vehicle M and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time from emission to reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 can be attached to any location on the vehicle M.

[0028] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc., of an object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the driver assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 directly to the driver assistance device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle M. Some or all of the camera 10, radar device 12, LIDAR 14, and object recognition device 16 are examples of "external environment detection devices".

[0029] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of its own vehicle M, or with various server devices via a wireless base station, using networks such as a cellular network, Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth®, or DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication).

[0030] The HMI 30 presents various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations from the occupants. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display unit 32 and a speaker 34. The display unit 32 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device. The display unit 32 displays various images (including video) in the embodiment. The display unit 32 may be configured integrally with the input unit as a touch panel. The speaker 34 outputs predetermined sounds (e.g., alarms). In addition to (or instead of) the display unit 32 and speaker 34, the HMI 30 may also include a microphone, buzzer, vibration generator (vibrator), touch panel, switch, key, etc. For example, the HMI 30 may include a changeover switch that switches the driving state of the vehicle M, described later, by operation by the driver.

[0031] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration, a yaw rate sensor for detecting yaw rate (for example, the angular velocity of rotation around the vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle M), a lateral acceleration sensor (lateral G sensor) for detecting the lateral acceleration (lateral G) of the vehicle M, a compass sensor for detecting the orientation of the vehicle M, and a steering angle sensor for detecting the steering angle of the vehicle M (which may be the angle of the steering wheels or the operating angle of the steering wheel). The vehicle sensor 40 may also be provided with a position sensor for detecting the position of the vehicle M. The position sensor is, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a GPS (Global Positioning System) device. Alternatively, the position sensor may be a sensor that acquires position information using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50.

[0032] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be determined or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that utilizes the output of vehicle sensors 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, speaker, touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may be partially or completely shared with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter referred to as the route on the map) from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to the destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52, by referring to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is, for example, information in which the road shape is represented by links indicating roads and nodes connected by links. The first map information 54 may also include POI (Point of Interest) information, etc. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be implemented, for example, by the functions of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet held by an occupant. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current location and destination to the navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0033] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61 and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the map route provided by the navigation device 50 into multiple blocks (for example, every 100m with respect to the vehicle's direction of travel) and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 makes decisions such as which lane from the left the vehicle should travel in. Furthermore, if there is a branching point in the map route, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel along a reasonable route to proceed to the branching point. The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of the lane, or lane boundary information such as road markings that demarcate the lanes (hereinafter referred to as markings). Furthermore, the second map information 62 may include road information such as the radius of curvature (or curvature) of the road (or each lane included in the road), gradient, and width, as well as traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices. In addition, the first map information 54 and the second map information 62 may be stored in the memory unit of the driver assistance device 100.

[0034] The driver monitor camera 70 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitor camera 70 is mounted at any location in the vehicle M in a position and orientation that allows it to capture the head and upper body (including the position of the hands) of the driver seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle M from the front (in a direction that captures the face). For example, the driver monitor camera 70 is mounted on top of a display device located in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M. The driver monitor camera 70 outputs an image of the interior of the vehicle M, including the driver, taken from its mounted position, to the driver assistance device 100.

[0035] The driver controls 80 include, for example, a steering wheel 82, an accelerator pedal 84, a brake pedal 86, a turn signal control switch, a shift lever, and other controls. Sensors are attached to the driver controls 80 to detect the amount of operation or whether or not an operation is performed, and the detection results are output to the driver assistance device 100, or to some or all of the driving force output device 200, the brake device 210, and the steering device 220. The steering wheel 82 is an example of a "steering control".

[0036] For example, the steering wheel 82 is equipped with a steering wheel sensor (SW sensor) 82A. The SW sensor 82A detects whether or not the driver is in contact with the steering wheel 82. The SW sensor 82A may also detect whether or not the driver is gripping the steering wheel 82, or detect the amount of operation (steering torque, steering amount) performed by the driver on the steering wheel 82. The steering wheel 82 does not necessarily have to be annular in shape; it may also be in the form of an irregularly shaped steering wheel, a joystick, buttons, etc. In that case, the SW sensor 82A detects the amount of operation corresponding to each form.

[0037] The accelerator pedal 84 is fitted with an accelerator pedal sensor (AP sensor) 84A. The AP sensor 84A detects the amount of operation (opening) of the accelerator pedal 84, which changes in response to the driver's operation on the accelerator pedal 84 (hereinafter referred to as AP operation). The brake pedal 86 is fitted with a brake pedal sensor (BP sensor) 86A. The BP sensor 86A detects the amount of operation (opening) of the brake pedal 86, which changes in response to the driver's operation on the brake pedal 86 (hereinafter referred to as BP operation).

[0038] The driving force output device 200 outputs driving force (torque) to the drive wheels for the vehicle M to move. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls them. The ECU controls the above configuration according to information input from the driver assistance device 100 or from the driver control device 80.

[0039] The brake system 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and an ECU. The ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the driver assistance device 100 or from the driver control unit 80, so that brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. The brake system 210 may also include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal included in the driver control unit 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. The brake system 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake system that controls an actuator according to information input from the driver assistance device 100 to transmit hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0040] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor, for example, applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steering wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steering wheels according to information input from the driver assistance device 100 or from the driver control device 80.

[0041] [Driving assistance system] The driver assistance device 100 includes, for example, a recognition unit 110, a driving state detection unit 120, a road condition determination unit 130, a driving control unit 140, an HMI control unit 150, and a storage unit 160. The recognition unit 110, the driving state detection unit 120, the road condition determination unit 130, the driving control unit 140, and the HMI control unit 150 are realized, for example, by a hardware processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program (software). Furthermore, some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and SOC (System On Chip), or by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device such as the HDD or flash memory of the driver assistance device 100 (a storage device equipped with a non-transient storage medium), or it may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM, and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the driver assistance device 100 when the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) is mounted on a drive device. The HMI control unit 150 is an example of a "notification control unit".

[0042] For example, the driving force output device 200, brake device 210, and steering device 220 are configured internally so that instructions from the driving assistance device 100 to the driving force output device 200, brake device 210, and steering device 220 are executed with priority over detection results from the driver control device 80. Regarding braking, if the braking force based on the amount of operation of the brake pedal 86 is greater than the instruction from the driving assistance device 100, the system may be configured to prioritize the latter. Furthermore, communication priority in the in-vehicle LAN (Local Area Network) may be used as a mechanism to prioritize the execution of instructions from the driving assistance device 100.

[0043] The memory unit 160 may be implemented using the various storage devices described above, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), or RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The memory unit 160 stores, for example, programs and other various information. The memory unit 160 may also store the map information described above (first map information 54, second map information 62).

[0044] The recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M based on information input from the external environment detection device. For example, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the position and state, such as speed and acceleration, of objects in the surrounding area (for example, within a predetermined distance from the vehicle M). Objects include, for example, other vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. The position of an object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive axis) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of an object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or it may be represented by a region. The "state" of an object may include the object's acceleration, jerk, or "action state" (for example, whether or not it is changing lanes or is about to change lanes). The recognition unit 110 also recognizes the relative position and relative speed of objects.

[0045] Furthermore, the recognition unit 110 recognizes, for example, the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling. For example, the recognition unit 110 performs known analysis processing (e.g., edge extraction, feature extraction, pattern matching processing, etc.) on the image captured by the camera 10 (hereinafter referred to as the camera image), and recognizes the position and pattern of the lane markings around the vehicle M (e.g., the arrangement of solid and dashed lines) from the analysis results. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may refer to map information (second map information 62) based on the position information of the vehicle M to recognize the position and pattern of the lane markings around the vehicle M. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the driving lane using at least one of the position and pattern of the lane markings obtained from the camera image and the position and pattern of the lane markings obtained from the map information. The recognition unit 110 may also recognize the driving lane by recognizing the road boundary (road boundary) including not only lane markings but also shoulders, curbs, median strips, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by INS may also be taken into consideration. Furthermore, the recognition unit 110 may recognize adjacent lanes adjacent to the driving lane. Also, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the radius of curvature (or curvature), gradient, width, etc. of the driving lane (or road) from at least one of the camera image or map information. In addition, the recognition unit 110 recognizes obstacles, stop lines, red lights, toll booths, and other road events from the object recognition results. Obstacles are objects that the vehicle M must avoid contact with, and include, for example, other vehicles.

[0046] Furthermore, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position and orientation of the vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the deviation of the vehicle M's reference point from the center of the lane, and the angle it makes with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the direction of travel of the vehicle M, as the relative position and orientation of the vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position of the vehicle M's reference point with respect to any side edge of the driving lane (road markings or road boundary), etc., as the relative position of the vehicle M with respect to the driving lane. In addition, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the position and orientation of other vehicles traveling in the driving lane of the vehicle M, or recognize whether other vehicles are located on the center side of the driving lane or on the side of the markings, etc., from the perspective of the vehicle M.

[0047] The driving state detection unit 120 detects the driving state of the vehicle M. The driving state includes the driving state of the vehicle M as determined by the driver's operation and the driving state of the vehicle M as determined by the control unit 140 (automatic driving control). The driving state detection unit 120 includes, for example, an acceleration detection unit 122 and a steering detection unit 124. The acceleration detection unit 122 detects the driver's acceleration operation of the vehicle M. For example, the acceleration detection unit 122 detects the driver's AP operation based on the detection result of the AP sensor 84A, or detects the amount of operation (opening) of the accelerator pedal 84. The steering detection unit 124 detects, for example, whether the driver is in contact with the steering wheel 82 (presence or absence of contact) based on the detection result of the SW sensor 82A. The steering detection unit 124 also detects the amount of steering (torque amount of steer torque) due to the driver's operation (steering operation) on the steering wheel 82. The driving state detection unit 120 may also detect the driver's BP operation based on the detection result of the BP sensor 86A, or detect the amount of operation (opening) of the brake pedal 86. In addition, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect a state in which the driver is not performing any driving operations (a state in which the driver is not touching the driver control element 80).

[0048] Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect whether the driver is in a predetermined state based on the image captured by the driver monitor camera 70. The predetermined state is either a hands-off state or a hands-on state. A hands-off state is a state in which the driver is not in contact with (not gripping) the steering wheel 82, and a hands-on state is a state in which the driver is in contact with (gripping) the steering wheel 82. Whether the driver is in a hands-on or hands-off state may be determined, for example, based on the detection result of the SW sensor 82A detecting the driver's contact with the steering wheel 82. Also, a predetermined state may be a state in which the driver is monitoring the area ahead (or the area around the vehicle M), and may be a state in which the vehicle M can be quickly switched from system-side driving control (automatic driving) to manual driving by the driver. For example, the driver monitoring the area ahead means that the driver's gaze is directed forward.

[0049] Furthermore, the driving state detection unit 120 may detect speed, lateral G, and acceleration resulting from steering or AP operations performed by the driver, based on the detection results from the vehicle sensor 40.

[0050] The road condition determination unit 130 determines the road conditions on which the vehicle M is traveling. For example, the road condition determination unit 130 determines whether a curved road exists within a predetermined distance in the direction of travel of the vehicle M, based on the surrounding conditions recognized by the recognition unit 110 from an external detection device such as a camera 10. For example, the road condition determination unit 130 determines that a curved road exists if the radius of curvature within a predetermined distance in the direction of travel of the driving lane is less than a threshold. Alternatively, instead of (or in addition to) determining the presence of a curved road using an external detection device, the road condition determination unit 130 may obtain the road conditions (radius of curvature) of the vehicle M by referring to map information based on the position information of the vehicle M acquired by the vehicle sensor 40, and determine whether a curved road exists within a predetermined distance in the direction of travel of the vehicle M. The road condition determination unit 130 may also use curvature instead of radius of curvature in determining the presence of a curved road. Furthermore, the road condition determination unit 130 may determine whether the driving lane in the direction of travel of the vehicle M is straight based on the radius of curvature or curvature.

[0051] The driving control unit 140 performs driving control (autonomous driving) that controls at least one of the steering and speed of the vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M recognized by the recognition unit 110. For example, based on the surrounding conditions and driver instructions recognized by the recognition unit 110, the driving control unit 140 performs lane keeping assistance (LKAS: Lane Keeping Assistance System) of the vehicle M so that the reference point of the vehicle M (e.g., the center of gravity or center) is positioned in the center of the vehicle M's driving lane. In LKAS control, for example, if the steering direction based on the steering torque applied to the steering wheel 82 while the driver is hands-on is in a direction that causes the vehicle M to deviate from the center of the lane (or driving lane), the control may apply a reaction force to the steering operation in that direction to suppress deviation from the center of the lane (or driving lane).

[0052] Furthermore, the driving control unit 140 may perform Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) control to maintain a constant speed in the driving lane at a preset speed (set speed) based on the surrounding conditions. In ACC control, for example, when the distance between the vehicle M and the preceding vehicle falls within a predetermined distance, the system automatically accelerates and decelerates to maintain a predetermined distance while following the preceding vehicle, or when the preceding vehicle disappears due to a lane change or the like, the system automatically accelerates the vehicle M to a set speed. In addition, the driving control unit 140 may perform various driving controls such as Auto Lane Change Assist (ALCA) control to assist the vehicle M in changing lanes from the driving lane to an adjacent lane, Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS) control to warn the driver and apply braking control to the vehicle M when there is a possibility of contact with an obstacle, Traffic Jam Pilot (TJP) control to maintain a safe distance from the preceding vehicle while adjusting to changes in the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle during low-speed driving such as in traffic jams, and emergency stop control to bring the vehicle M to a safe stop.

[0053] Furthermore, the driving control unit 140 performs driving control to achieve a predetermined driving state according to the detection results by the driving state detection unit 120 and the road conditions determined by the road condition determination unit 130. The driving state may include, for example, at least some of the various driving controls described above, and may include control related to notifications to request a predetermined driving operation (e.g., hands-on state) from the driver, and control to suppress acceleration by AP operation. The driving state may also include ending the driving control and allowing the driver to perform manual driving. Furthermore, the driving state may include a driving state in which the driver needs to contact the steering wheel 82 and a driving state in which contact is not required.

[0054] For example, the driving control unit 140 generates a target trajectory and target speed for the vehicle M based on the content of the driving state to be performed and the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M, and performs steering control of the vehicle M according to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the vehicle M according to the generated target speed. In addition, the driving control unit 140 outputs a notification instruction to the HMI control unit 150 to request a predetermined driving operation from the driver according to the driving state. Details of the functions of the driving control unit 140 will be described later.

[0055] The HMI control unit 150 notifies the occupants (including the driver) of predetermined information via the HMI 30. The predetermined information includes, for example, information related to the driving of the vehicle M, such as information regarding the status of the vehicle M and information regarding driving control. Information regarding the status of the vehicle M includes, for example, the speed of the vehicle M, engine speed, and shift position. Information regarding driving control includes, for example, the type of driving control (driving state) being performed, the reason for the operation of the driving control, the status of the driving control, and information indicating that the driving control has started or ended. Information regarding driving control may also include information regarding requests for predetermined driving operations (e.g., hands-on) to the driver, warnings, and alarms. The predetermined information may also include information regarding the current position and destination of the vehicle M, the remaining fuel level, and information unrelated to the driving control of the vehicle M, such as content stored on a storage medium such as a television program or DVD (e.g., a movie).

[0056] For example, the HMI control unit 150 may generate an image containing the predetermined information described above and display the generated image on the display unit 32 of the HMI 30, or it may generate audio indicating the predetermined information and output the generated audio from the speaker 34 of the HMI 30. The timing of the audio output may be, for example, when driving control is started or stopped, when an incoming call is received, when the displayed image is switched, or when the vehicle M reaches a predetermined state. The HMI control unit 150 may also output information received by the HMI 30 to the driving control unit 140, etc. Furthermore, based on instruction information from the driving control unit 140, the HMI control unit 150 may output information to the HMI 30 requesting a predetermined driving operation from the driver, or control the timing of the start and end of the output of information output by the HMI 30.

[0057] [Operation control] Before describing the details of the driving control according to the embodiment, we will first explain conventional driving control using an example. Figure 2 shows an example of conventional driving control. In the example in Figure 2, there are two lanes L1 and L2 that can be traveled in the same direction (X-axis direction in the figure), and the vehicle M is traveling on lane L1 at speed VM, and the other vehicle m1 is traveling on lane L2, which is the adjacent lane to lane L1, at speed Vm1. In the example in Figure 2, the other vehicle m1 is shown as a truck, but the type of vehicle is not limited to this. Also, in the example in Figure 2, the reference position of the vehicle M at time T* (e.g., the center of gravity) is represented as M(T*) and the speed as VM(T*), and the reference position of the other vehicle m1 is represented as m1(T*) and the speed as Vm1(T*). Furthermore, in the following explanation, time T1 is assumed to be the earliest, and times T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6 are assumed to be the latest in that order. Furthermore, the example in Figure 2 shows the state of the accelerator pedal (AP state) and the steering state (hands-off / hands-on) over time.

[0058] In the example shown in Figure 2, during the period from time T1 to T3, vehicle M performs ACC control, and with the driver not operating the accelerator pedal 84 (AP off state) and hands-off, it performs constant speed driving based on a preset speed. Also, during the period from time T1 to T3, the speed difference between vehicle M's speed VM and the speed of other vehicle m1's speed Vm1 is small, and vehicle M and other vehicle m1 are driving side by side (driving with their lateral positions overlapping). In this situation, the driver of vehicle M performs an AP operation to temporarily accelerate vehicle M in order to shift its parallel position with other vehicle m1.

[0059] For example, if the driver performs an AP operation at time T3 (AP ON state), conventional driving control would execute acceleration control only if the driver transitions from a hands-off state to a hands-on state. Therefore, acceleration is performed in a hands-on state during the period from time T3 to T5, and if the driver turns the AP OFF state at time T5 when the lateral position of the vehicle M and the other vehicle m1 has shifted, constant speed driving based on the set speed is performed thereafter (for example, at time T6, etc.), and the hands-off state is permitted. Thus, in conventional driving control, even when temporarily accelerating the vehicle M, the driver needs to be in a hands-on state, which places an operational burden on the driver. On the other hand, if acceleration is allowed unconditionally in a hands-off state, there is a possibility that the speed or acceleration will be unacceptable in a hands-off state, which may compromise safety. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if an AP operation is performed in a hands-off state, a certain degree of acceleration is permitted depending on the conditions, reducing the operational burden and improving operability while maintaining safety. Accordingly, according to this embodiment, more appropriate driving control can be performed according to the driver's driving situation and the vehicle's situation.

[0060] Next, the details of the driving control according to the embodiment will be described. For example, the driving control unit 140 performs driving control on the vehicle M so that it enters a driving state set based on the driver's driving status and the status of the vehicle M, from among a predetermined number of driving states. The driving control unit 140 also transitions the currently running driving state to another transition state or maintains (continues) the current driving state according to predetermined transition conditions.

[0061] Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the transition of operating states in the embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the conditions for transitioning operating states. In the example in Figure 4, the operating state before the transition, the content of the transition condition, and the operating state after the transition are associated with each transition condition, corresponding to the content in Figure 3. The content of the transition condition includes information such as whether or not AP operation is performed, the speed condition of the vehicle M, whether or not hands-on operation is performed, the passage of time, and the release of suppression. The speed condition includes whether or not the speed based on AP operation exceeds the speed threshold (speed threshold exceeded), whether or not the lateral G (lateral acceleration) on the vehicle M (or occupant) due to AP operation exceeds the threshold (lateral G threshold) (lateral G threshold exceeded), and whether or not the acceleration due to the AP operation amount (opening amount) exceeds the acceleration threshold (acceleration threshold exceeded). The speed condition may also include information such as whether an AND condition or OR condition of the above various speed conditions is met. Furthermore, in the AP operation status item in Figure 4, "○" indicates that an AP operation was performed, and "-" indicates that the presence or absence of an AP operation is irrelevant. Also, in the hands-on status item, "○" indicates that the system is in a hands-on state, "×" indicates that the system is not in a hands-on state (hands-off state), and "-" indicates that the presence or absence of hands-on operation is irrelevant. Also, in the suppression release status item, "○" indicates that suppression release has been performed, and "-" indicates that the presence or absence of suppression release is irrelevant. The information shown in Figure 4 may be stored in the memory unit 160, for example, or it may be acquired from an external device via the communication device 20. Below, using Figures 3 and 4, the content of each transition condition and the operating state when the condition is met will be explained in detail.

[0062] <If transition condition 1> The driving state before the transition under transition condition 1 is the first driving state. The first driving state is, for example, a state in which the driver is hands-off and the driving control unit 140 can perform LKAS control and ACC control through driving control (automatic driving). The driving control in the first driving state is performed, for example, based on instructions from the driver and the surrounding conditions. In the following, it will be assumed that both LKAS control and ACC control are being performed in the first driving state. In the first driving state, the driving control unit 140 generates, for example, a future target trajectory for the vehicle M to travel in the recommended lane determined by the recommended lane determination unit 61, and a target speed based on a preset speed (for example, a speed where the error from the set speed is within a threshold), based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M. The driving control unit 140 then performs steering control of the vehicle M with respect to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the vehicle M with respect to the target speed to perform LKAS control and ACC control. The target trajectory and target speed are updated, for example, in accordance with changes in the surrounding conditions (for example, other vehicles and road shape in the surroundings). Furthermore, the set speed may be set according to the type of driving control, driving conditions, and surrounding circumstances, and may also be adjustable by the driver's operation.

[0063] Here, the conditions for transition condition 1 are that, when the vehicle M is in the first driving state, an AP operation (acceleration operation) by the driver is detected in a hands-off state, and the speed conditions, namely the speed VM of the vehicle M due to the AP operation, lateral G, and acceleration, do not all exceed the threshold (AND condition). If the conditions for transition condition 1 are met, the driving control unit 140 performs control to maintain (continue) the current state of the vehicle M (first driving state) (does not transition to other driving states). By maintaining the first driving state, for example, acceleration of the vehicle M is permitted until the speed VM of the vehicle M becomes greater than the speed threshold due to the AP operation.

[0064] <In the case of transition condition 2> Transition condition 2 is that, when the vehicle M is in the first driving state, an AP operation by the driver is detected and the driver is in a hands-on state. Transition condition 2 does not include a speed condition. When the conditions of transition condition 2 are met, the driving control unit 140 transitions the vehicle M from the first driving state to the second driving state. The second driving state is, for example, a state in which the driver is in a hands-on state and LKAS control etc. is executed by the driving control unit 140. Furthermore, in the second driving state, the driving control unit 140 does not suppress the acceleration of the vehicle M due to the AP operation, even if the vehicle M is accelerated by the driver's AP operation (acceleration operation) and, for example, the speed VM of the vehicle M exceeds the speed threshold (becomes greater than the speed threshold). Similarly, even if the lateral G or acceleration exceeds the threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle M is not suppressed. As a result, when in a hands-on state, acceleration according to the driver's intention (AP operation) can be performed while LKAS control is executed. Furthermore, the operation control unit 140 may control the HMI control unit 150 to notify the driver and warn them if the vehicle M's speed VM, lateral G, or acceleration exceeds a threshold due to the driver's AP operation in the second operating state. In addition, the system may be configured to transition back to the first operating state from the second operating state if the various speed conditions of the first operating state are met.

[0065] <In the case of transition condition 3> The conditions for transition condition 3 are that, in the first driving state, the driver's AP operation is detected, the driver is in a hands-off state, and the speed VM of the vehicle M exceeds a threshold value for at least one of the conditions (speed, lateral G, acceleration) set in the speed conditions shown in Figure 4 (OR condition). If the conditions for transition condition 3 are met, the driving control unit 140 transitions the driving state of the vehicle M from the first driving state to the third driving state. In the third driving state, the driving control unit 140 outputs information (hands-on request information) to the HMI control unit 150 requesting the driver to make contact with (grip) the steering wheel 82. The HMI control unit 150 generates hands-on request information to the driver based on the instructions from the driving control unit 140 and outputs the generated information from the HMI 30. In addition, in the third driving state, the driving control unit 140 suppresses the acceleration control of the vehicle M in response to the driver's AP operation. Details of the acceleration control suppression will be described later.

[0066] <In the case of transition condition 4> The condition for transition condition 4 is that the hands-on state is reached within a first predetermined time after the start of the third operating state. If the condition for transition condition 4 is met, the operation control unit 140 transitions from the third operating state to the fourth operating state. In the fourth operating state, the operation control unit 140, for example, executes LKAS control with the driver in hands-on state and gradually releases the suppression of acceleration control that was executed in the third operating state.

[0067] <If transition condition 5 is used> The condition for transition condition 5 is that, in the fourth operating state, the suppression of acceleration control performed in the third operating state is released. Releasing the suppression of acceleration control means, for example, that the speed of the vehicle M reaches the speed required by the driver's AP operation (opening). If the condition for transition condition 5 is met, the driving control unit 140 transitions from the fourth operating state to the second operating state and performs driving control.

[0068] <In the case of transition condition 6> The condition for transition condition 6 is that there is no change in the content of the transition condition even after a first predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the third operating state. "No change" means, for example, that the driver does not enter a hands-on state. If the condition for transition condition 6 is met, the operation control unit 140 transitions from the third operating state to the fifth operating state and performs operation control. In the fifth operating state, the operation control unit 140 controls the HMI control unit 150 to request the driver to enter a hands-on state more strongly than in the third operating state. "Requesting more strongly" means increasing the degree of the request, for example, if notification (request) was given by displaying an image in the third operating state, then outputting a warning sound in addition. Furthermore, "requesting more strongly" may also include displaying an image that is more emphasized than the image displayed in the third operating state (for example, an image displayed in an emphasized color, or a flashing image, etc.), outputting a different alarm than the alarm output in the third operating state, or outputting a louder or stronger voice than the voice output in the third operating state. Furthermore, in the fifth operating state, the driving control unit 140 suppresses the acceleration control of the vehicle M in response to the driver's AP operation.

[0069] <In the case of transition condition 7> The condition for transition condition 7 is that the driver enters a hands-on state within a second predetermined time after the fifth operating state has started. The second predetermined time is, for example, shorter than the first predetermined time. If the condition for transition condition 7 is met, the operation control unit 140 transitions from the fifth operating state to the sixth operating state and executes operation control. In the sixth operating state, the operation control unit 140 executes operation control that gradually releases the acceleration suppression of the fifth operating state and switches to manual operation by the driver. In other words, if the hands-on state is reached after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the fifth operating state, control is executed to terminate the operation control by the operation control unit 140.

[0070] <In the case of transition condition 8> The condition for transition condition 8 is that in the sixth operating state, the suppression of acceleration control is released. When the condition for transition condition 8 is met, the driving control unit 140 transitions the vehicle M from the sixth operating state to the seventh operating state. In the seventh operating state, the driving control unit 140 terminates its driving control, and the vehicle M drives based on the driver's manual operation.

[0071] <In the case of transition condition 9> The condition for transition condition 9 is that there is no change in the content of the transition condition even after the second predetermined time has elapsed since the fifth operating state started (for example, the driver does not enter a hands-on state). If the condition for transition condition 9 is met, the driving control unit 140 transitions from the fifth operating state to the eighth operating state and performs driving control. In the eighth operating state, the driving control unit 140 moves the vehicle M to a safe position (for example, the shoulder of the road) and stops the vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M.

[0072] [Acceleration control in hands-off mode] Next, the acceleration control in the hands-off state in the embodiment will be specifically described. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the acceleration control in the hands-off state. The example in Figure 5 shows the acceleration control in the first driving state. In the example in Figure 5, the horizontal axis represents time (duration), and the vertical axis represents the driving force and speed VM of the vehicle M, respectively. In the diagram showing the relationship between time and driving force, the final requested driving force for the vehicle M and the driving force requested by the driver through AP operation (driver-requested driving force) are shown. In the diagram showing the relationship between time and speed, the first driving state is shown as the upper limit speed and set speed when executing a predetermined driving control (e.g., ACC control) in the hands-off state, the speed threshold corresponding to the speed condition for transitioning from the first driving state to the third driving state, and the speed VM of the vehicle M. The speed threshold is, for example, the acceleration suppression start speed at which acceleration suppression by AP operation begins when transitioning from the first driving state to the third driving state. Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 5, the driver request driving force, final request driving force, and speed VM change when the AP operation switches from the AP off state to the AP on state and then returns to the AP off state in the hands-off state.

[0073] In the example in Figure 5, no AP operation is performed by the driver during the period from time T10 to T11 (AP off state). Therefore, the driving control unit 140 generates a target speed based on the set speed according to the surrounding conditions, and controls the final requested driving force so that the speed VM of the vehicle M approaches the generated target speed, and speed control is performed based on that driving force. The driving control unit 140 also generates a target trajectory according to the surrounding conditions, and performs steering control of the vehicle to travel along the generated target trajectory, but the following explanation will mainly focus on the part related to speed control.

[0074] If the AP is turned ON at time T11 due to the driver's AP operation, the operation control unit 140 maintains the current speed VM until the driver-requested driving force due to the AP operation reaches the current final-requested driving force. Once the driver-requested driving force exceeds the current final-requested driving force, acceleration control is performed, and the final-requested driving force increases in accordance with the increase in the driver-requested driving force, so the speed VM becomes larger.

[0075] Here, the range from the set speed to the speed threshold shown in Figure 5 is the range in which acceleration is permitted in a hands-off state (acceleration allowable range). Within the acceleration allowable range, the driving control unit 140 can increase the speed VM in accordance with the increase in the driver-requested driving force. Furthermore, if the driver-requested driving force decreases during the period from time T12 to T13 (when the accelerator opening becomes smaller), the driving control unit 140 adjusts the amount of decrease in the final requested driving force so that the deceleration amount of the vehicle M does not exceed a predetermined amount. Moreover, if the AP is turned off at time T13, the driving control unit 140 controls the speed VM of the vehicle M so that it gradually approaches the target speed based on the set speed. As shown in Figure 5, by allowing acceleration within a range that does not exceed the speed threshold even in a hands-off state, driving assistance in the first driving state can be continued. Therefore, when it is necessary to temporarily accelerate to change the position with a parallel vehicle as shown in Figure 2, there is no need to be in a hands-on state, and appropriate driving control can be performed while improving the driver's operability.

[0076] [Suppression of acceleration control] In the example shown in Figure 5, if the speed VM of the vehicle M exceeds the speed threshold due to the driver's AP operation (acceleration operation), the driving control unit 140 transitions the driving state of the vehicle M from the first driving state to the third driving state. When the system transitions to the third driving state, the driving control unit 140 suppresses acceleration control by the driver's AP operation. In this case, the driving control unit 140 prevents the speed VM from increasing even if the driver-requested driving force increases due to the AP operation. This makes it possible to suppress excessive acceleration in the hands-off state. Furthermore, in the third driving state, by notifying the driver of a hands-on request, the system can transition to the second driving state and allow further acceleration on the condition that the driver takes control. This makes it possible to perform more appropriate driving control according to the driving situation. Furthermore, if the hands-on state is not reached even after a first predetermined time has elapsed from the third operating state, the operation control unit 140 transitions the operating state of its own vehicle M from the third operating state to the fifth operating state. In the fifth operating state, acceleration control in the hands-off state is similarly suppressed.

[0077] Here, the speed threshold, lateral G threshold, and acceleration threshold included in the above-mentioned speed conditions may be set variably according to the set speed (or target speed) and road shape when driving control such as ACC is executed. For example, if the road shape on which the vehicle M is traveling is straight, the driving control unit 140 allows acceleration in the first driving state until the speed VM of the vehicle M is less than or equal to the maximum speed threshold, up to the maximum speed threshold on which the first driving state can be continued. If the speed VM becomes greater than (exceeds) the maximum speed threshold, the control unit transitions to the third driving state to suppress acceleration control and outputs a hands-on request. If the set speed (or target speed) is a certain amount less than the maximum speed threshold, the speed threshold may be changed to a smaller value. In this case, the speed threshold is, for example, the set speed plus a predetermined amount of added speed. By adjusting the speed threshold according to the set speed in this way, excessive acceleration in the hands-off state can be suppressed, and safer driving control can be achieved.

[0078] Furthermore, if the road shape on which the vehicle M is traveling is a curved road, the speed threshold may be adjusted, for example, according to the set speed and the radius of curvature (or curvature) of the road. In this case, when traveling on a curved road, the speed threshold is set to a speed that does not exceed the lateral G threshold (upper limit of lateral acceleration) (e.g., 0.1 to 0.15 [G]) for which driving control is permitted in the first driving state. For example, the speed threshold corresponding to the set speed is set to decrease as the radius of curvature decreases so as not to exceed the lateral G threshold. By adjusting the speed threshold based on the set speed and the road shape in this way, the driving state can be transitioned at a more appropriate timing according to the vehicle condition and surrounding conditions. Therefore, more appropriate driving control can be achieved in the hands-off state.

[0079] Furthermore, the driving control unit 140 may adjust the acceleration threshold (allowable acceleration) according to the speed VM of the vehicle M in order to prevent the vehicle M's behavior from becoming unstable due to rapid acceleration. The acceleration threshold may be stored in the memory unit 160, for example, or obtained from an external device via the communication device 20.

[0080] For example, the acceleration threshold is set such that a first acceleration threshold is set when the vehicle speed VM of the vehicle M is in the low-speed range, a second acceleration threshold smaller than the first acceleration threshold is set in the medium-speed range, and a third acceleration threshold smaller than the first acceleration threshold is set in the high-speed range. The third acceleration threshold may be set to a gradually decreasing value as the speed VM increases. In this case, a constant acceleration threshold may be set for a predetermined speed in the high-speed range. In this way, by setting the acceleration threshold to a constant value when the vehicle M is above a predetermined speed, a certain degree of acceleration can be allowed even when the speed increases.

[0081] Note that the acceleration threshold represents a different condition from the speed threshold, but it may be adjusted to match the speed threshold. In this way, by making it possible to adjust the conditions for transitioning the driving state (speed threshold, lateral G threshold, acceleration threshold) according to the condition of the vehicle M and the surrounding conditions, more appropriate driving control can be achieved.

[0082] The acceleration threshold can be set to a higher value as the vehicle speed M decreases, thereby expanding the range in which driver assistance can be sustained during AP operation within an appropriate range. In this way, by adjusting the allowable acceleration according to the margin of safety in driver assistance, speed control that matches the driver's intentions becomes possible even in a hands-off state, thereby improving driver operability.

[0083] [Transition of driving state before and after driving on a curved road] Next, we will describe an example of the transition in driving state before and after a vehicle M travels on a curved road. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the transition in driving state when traveling near a curved road. In Figure 6, in two lanes L1 and L2 that can be traveled in the same direction, the vehicle M is shown traveling on lane L2 at speed VM. In the example in Figure 6, the reference position of the vehicle M at time T* (e.g., the center of gravity) is represented as M(T*), and the speed is represented as VM(T*), with time Ta being the earliest and times Tb, Tc, Td, Te, and Tf being the latest. In the example in Figure 6, the changes in the vehicle M's speed VM, driving state, steering state, and acceleration suppression (on / off) over time are shown.

[0084] In the example shown in Figure 6, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the radius of curvature (or curvature) of the road in the direction of travel of the vehicle M from map information, etc. Alternatively, the recognition unit 110 may recognize the radius of curvature (or curvature) of the lane L2 (or road) in which the vehicle M is traveling based on output information from an external detection device such as the camera 10, instead of (or in addition to) map information. For example, when the vehicle M is traveling at a predetermined distance or more before a curved road, the recognition unit 110 recognizes information about the curved road ahead (e.g., radius of curvature) from map information. Also, when the vehicle M is traveling on a curved road, the recognition unit 110 recognizes information about the curved road ahead obtained from output information from an external detection device mounted on the vehicle M. The driving control unit 140 generates a target speed based on the recognized information about the curved road. Thus, because the recognition accuracy of the external environment detection device decreases before entering a curve, the target vehicle speed is generated using information about the curve obtained from map information. After entering a curve, the target vehicle speed is set based on the driving state obtained from the external environment detection device of the vehicle M. This allows for more appropriate driving control to be performed in accordance with the driving state perceived by the occupants. In addition, the driving control unit 140 may also generate a target trajectory in addition to the target speed.

[0085] At time Ta, the vehicle M is assumed to be under driving control in the first driving state (for example, ACC control in hands-off mode). In this case, since no AP operation by the driver is detected, the driving control unit 140 performs constant speed driving at a target speed (and target trajectory) corresponding to the preset vehicle speed during straight-line driving. Now, assume that an AP operation by the driver was performed before time Tb, and that the conditions of transition condition 3 are met at time Tb. In this case, the driving control unit 140 transitions the driving state of the vehicle M from the first driving state to the third driving state. In the third driving state, a request for hands-on operation is output to the driver, and acceleration control in response to AP operation is further suppressed. At this point, the vehicle M performs constant speed driving at a speed with suppressed acceleration.

[0086] Furthermore, the driving control unit 140 may control the system to transition to the third driving state earlier than when there is a curved road ahead of the vehicle M (within a predetermined distance) than when there is a straight road ahead. In this case, the driving control unit 140 sets the speed threshold lower than when there is a straight road ahead, for example. The driving control unit 140 may also set the lateral G threshold lower, or the acceleration threshold lower.

[0087] Next, at time Tc, when the first predetermined time has elapsed while the vehicle M remains in the third operating state, the operation control unit 140 transitions the operating state of the vehicle M from the third operating state to the fifth operating state. In the fifth operating state, a stronger hands-on request is output, and the suppression of acceleration control continues. At time Tc, since the vehicle M begins to travel on a curved road, it travels at a reduced speed compared to when traveling on a straight road, according to the set speed corresponding to the curved road.

[0088] Next, if the driver enters a hands-on state at time Td before the second predetermined time has elapsed since the fifth operating state began, the driving control unit 140 transitions the operating state of the vehicle M from the fifth operating state to the sixth operating state. In the sixth operating state, acceleration suppression is gradually released, and driving control by manual driving operations is reflected. Therefore, if deceleration is performed by braking, the speed VM of the vehicle M will decrease as shown in Figure 6.

[0089] Furthermore, at time Te when the suppression of acceleration control ends (is released), the driving control unit 140 transitions the driving state of the vehicle M from the sixth driving state to the seventh driving state. In the seventh driving state, only manual driving is performed, so the steering and speed of the vehicle M are controlled according to the driver's driving operations. The driving control unit 140 can also transition back from the seventh driving state to the first driving state by receiving a driving state switching instruction from the driver or the like in the seventh driving state.

[0090] In this way, even when driving near a curve, the driving state can be transitioned based on the transition conditions described above, allowing for more appropriate driving control according to the surrounding conditions.

[0091] [Processing flow] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing performed by the driver assistance device 100 in the embodiment. In the example in Figure 7, the driving control processing, including acceleration control processing by AP operation, will be mainly explained in the driving control in the hands-off state of the driver assistance device 100. Furthermore, the following processing may be repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle or timing.

[0092] In the example in Figure 7, the recognition unit 110 recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M (step S100). Next, the driving state detection unit 120 detects the driving state of the vehicle M and the driver (step S110). The driving state includes, for example, hands-on state, hands-off state, and acceleration and steering operations of the vehicle M by the driver. Next, the road condition determination unit 130 determines the road conditions in the direction of travel of the vehicle M (step S120). In the process of step S120, the road condition determination unit 130 determines, for example, whether the road in the direction of travel of the vehicle M is a curved road or not (or a straight road).

[0093] Next, the driving control unit 140 generates a target trajectory and target speed for the vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions and road conditions (step S130), and executes driving control based on the generated target trajectory and target speed (step S140). Next, the driving control unit 140 determines whether or not an acceleration operation (AP operation) has been detected while the driver is in a hands-off state (not in contact with the steering controls (steering wheel 82)) (step S150). If it is determined that an acceleration operation has been detected, the driving control unit 140 determines whether or not the speed VM of the vehicle M is below the speed threshold in the hands-off state (step S160).

[0094] If the driver determines that the speed of the vehicle M is below the speed threshold in the hands-off state, the driver control unit 140 allows acceleration by acceleration operation until the speed of the vehicle M exceeds the speed threshold (step S170). If, in the process of step S160, the driver control unit 140 determines that the speed of the vehicle M is not below the speed threshold in the hands-off state, the driver control unit 140 requests the driver to take hands-on action (step S180) and suppresses acceleration until the driver takes hands-on action (step S190). This completes the instructions in this flowchart. Also, if, in the process of step S150, the driver determines that no acceleration operation has been detected and is in the hands-off state, the process in this flowchart is terminated.

[0095] In step S160 shown in Figure 7, instead of (or in addition to) the speed threshold, it may also be determined whether the lateral G of the vehicle M is less than or equal to the lateral G threshold, or whether the acceleration of the vehicle M is less than or equal to the acceleration threshold. In this case, in step S170, the driving control unit 140 permits acceleration until the lateral G or acceleration of the vehicle M exceeds the corresponding threshold.

[0096] [Differentiation] In this embodiment, instead of (or in addition to) a speed threshold, an acceleration threshold or a lateral G threshold may be used to permit or suppress the acceleration of the vehicle M by the driver's acceleration operation. For example, the driving control unit 140 permits the acceleration of the vehicle M by the driver's acceleration operation if the acceleration of the vehicle M by the driver's acceleration operation is less than or equal to the acceleration threshold, and suppresses the acceleration of the vehicle M by the driver's acceleration operation and requests the driver to take hands-on action if it is not less than or equal to the acceleration threshold. Alternatively, the driving control unit 140 permits the acceleration of the vehicle M by the driver's acceleration operation if the lateral G of the vehicle M by the driver's acceleration operation is less than or equal to the lateral G acceleration, and suppresses the acceleration of the vehicle M by the driver's acceleration operation and requests the driver to take hands-on action if it is not less than or equal to the lateral G acceleration threshold.

[0097] Furthermore, the speed conditions included in the conditions for transitioning the driving state in the embodiment may differ depending on whether the driver is in a hands-on state or a hands-off state. For example, if the speed threshold included in the speed conditions includes a first speed threshold for the hands-on state and a second speed threshold for the hands-off state, and the driver performs an acceleration operation in a hands-off state (when an acceleration operation is detected), the driving control unit 140 permits the acceleration of the vehicle M until the speed VM of the vehicle M exceeds the second speed threshold, if the speed VM of the vehicle M is less than or equal to the second speed threshold, and when the speed VM of the vehicle M exceeds the second speed threshold, it suppresses the acceleration of the vehicle M until it enters a hands-on state and requests the driver to enter a hands-on state.

[0098] As described above, the vehicle control program of the embodiment causes the computer to recognize the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M, to detect acceleration operations performed by the driver of the vehicle M, to detect contact of the driver with the steering controls used for steering the vehicle M, to generate a target trajectory and target speed for the vehicle M based on the surrounding conditions, and to execute driving control based on steering control of the vehicle M with respect to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the vehicle M with respect to the target speed, and the driving control includes driving states in which contact of the driver with the steering controls is required and driving states in which contact is not required. In rare cases, when the driver's acceleration operation is detected in a driving state where driver contact with the steering controls is not required, if the vehicle's speed M is below a speed threshold, acceleration of the vehicle M in the driving state is permitted until the vehicle's speed exceeds the speed threshold. If the vehicle's speed M is greater than the speed threshold, acceleration of the vehicle M is suppressed until driver contact with the steering controls is detected, and the driver is required to contact the steering controls. This allows for more appropriate driving control according to the driver's driving situation and the vehicle's situation.

[0099] For example, according to one embodiment, in driving control such as ACC or LKAS, acceleration requested by the driver is permitted up to an acceleration request (or driving force) that can ensure safety in a hands-off state. If the acceleration exceeds the safe limit, the system drives with a limited driving force to suppress acceleration and requests hands-on operation. This allows the vehicle M to accelerate even in a hands-off state, reducing the driver's operational burden when performing temporary acceleration, such as shifting position with a parallel vehicle, and improving driver convenience. Furthermore, by allowing acceleration driving within a range where hands-off driving control can be continued, the driver's intention to drive can be appropriately determined, enabling more appropriate driving control.

[0100] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, by detecting the driver's hands-on state during acceleration suppression, driving control based on the hands-on state can be continued. Also, according to the embodiment, when the vehicle is traveling on a curved road at a target speed in a hands-off state, by determining whether to allow acceleration or suppress acceleration and request hands-on operation based on a speed threshold corresponding to the curved road, more appropriate driving control can be achieved according to the surrounding conditions of the vehicle M.

[0101] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, by adjusting the acceleration threshold according to the speed of the vehicle M and determining whether to allow acceleration by the driver's acceleration operation or to suppress acceleration and request hands-on control, driving control that more accurately reflects the driver's intention to drive can be realized.

[0102] The embodiments described above can be expressed as follows. A storage medium that stores computer-readable instructions, A processor connected to the storage medium, The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: Recognize the surrounding conditions of your vehicle, The system detects the acceleration operation of the vehicle by the driver of the vehicle, The system detects the driver's contact with the steering control unit used to steer the vehicle, Based on the surrounding conditions, the system generates a target trajectory and target speed for the vehicle. The system performs driving control based on steering control of the vehicle relative to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the vehicle relative to the target speed. The aforementioned driving control includes driving states in which the driver is required to make contact with the steering control and driving states in which such contact is not required. In a driving state where the driver does not need to touch the steering control, if the driver's acceleration operation is detected, If the speed of the vehicle is below the speed threshold, acceleration of the vehicle in the driving state is permitted until the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold. When the speed of the vehicle is greater than the speed threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle is suppressed until contact of the driver with the steering control is detected, and the driver is requested to contact the steering control. Vehicle control device.

[0103] Although embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above using examples, the present invention is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0104] 10...Camera, 12...Radar device, 14...LIDAR, 16...Object recognition device, 20...Communication device, 30...HMI, 40...Vehicle sensor, 50...Navigation device, 60...MPU, 70...Driver monitor camera, 80...Driver control unit, 82...Steering wheel, 84...Accelerator pedal, 86...Brake pedal, 100...Driving assistance device, 110...Recognition unit, 120...Driving state detection unit, 122...Acceleration detection unit, 124...Steering detection unit, 130...Road condition determination unit, 140...Driving control unit, 150...HMI control unit, 160...Memory unit, 200...Driving force output device, 210...Brake device, 220...Steering device, M...Own vehicle

Claims

1. On the computer, Allow the vehicle to recognize its surroundings, To detect the acceleration operation of the vehicle by the driver of the vehicle, To detect the driver's contact with the steering control unit that performs the steering operation of the vehicle, Based on the surrounding conditions, the target trajectory and target speed of the vehicle are generated. The system performs driving control based on steering control of the vehicle relative to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the vehicle relative to the target speed. The aforementioned driving control includes driving conditions in which the driver's contact with the steering control is required and driving conditions in which such contact is not required. In a driving state where the driver does not need to touch the steering control, if the driver's acceleration operation is detected, If the speed of the vehicle is below the speed threshold, the vehicle is permitted to accelerate in the driving state until its speed exceeds the speed threshold. When the speed of the vehicle is greater than the speed threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle is suppressed until contact of the driver with the steering control is detected, and the driver is prompted to contact the steering control. If the acceleration of the vehicle caused by the driver's acceleration operation is below the acceleration threshold, the driver's acceleration operation is permitted. If the acceleration threshold is not below the specified threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle caused by the driver's acceleration operation is suppressed, and the driver is prompted to make contact with the steering control. Vehicle control program.

2. If, within a predetermined time after the driver is requested to make contact with the steering control, the driver's contact with the steering control is detected, the driving control is executed in a driving state in which the driver's contact with the steering control is required. The vehicle control program according to claim 1.

3. If contact by the driver with the steering control is detected after the predetermined time has elapsed, the driving control is terminated. The vehicle control program according to claim 2.

4. The acceleration threshold is set to a smaller value as the speed of the vehicle increases. The vehicle control program according to claim 1.

5. The acceleration threshold is set to a constant value when the speed of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed. The vehicle control program according to claim 1.

6. The speed threshold is made different depending on whether the vehicle is traveling on a curved road or not. The vehicle control program according to claim 1.

7. When the vehicle is traveling on the curved road, the speed threshold is set to a speed that does not exceed the upper limit of lateral acceleration. The vehicle control program according to claim 6.

8. If contact of the driver with the steering control is detected, the vehicle will accelerate due to the driver's acceleration operation, and even if the vehicle's speed exceeds the speed threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle will not be suppressed. The vehicle control program according to claim 1.

9. When the vehicle is traveling at a position more than a predetermined distance before the curved road, the target speed is generated based on the information of the curved road obtained from the map information. The vehicle control program according to claim 6.

10. When the vehicle is traveling along the curved road, the target speed is generated based on information about the curved road obtained from output information from an external environment detection device mounted on the vehicle. The vehicle control program according to claim 6.

11. The speed threshold includes a first speed threshold when the driver is in contact with the steering control and a second speed threshold when the driver is not in contact with the steering control. In a driving state where the driver does not need to touch the steering control, if the driver's acceleration operation is detected, If the speed of the vehicle is less than or equal to the second speed threshold, the vehicle is permitted to accelerate in the driving state until its speed exceeds the second speed threshold. When the speed of the vehicle is greater than the second speed threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle is suppressed until contact of the driver with the steering control is detected, and the driver is prompted to contact the steering control. The vehicle control program according to claim 1.

12. A recognition unit that recognizes the surrounding conditions of the vehicle, The acceleration detection unit detects the acceleration operation of the vehicle by the driver of the vehicle, A steering detection unit that detects the driver's contact with the steering control unit used to steer the vehicle, The vehicle includes a control unit that generates a target trajectory and target speed for the vehicle based on the surrounding conditions, and performs driving control based on steering control of the vehicle with respect to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the vehicle with respect to the target speed. The aforementioned driving control includes driving states in which the driver is required to make contact with the steering control and driving states in which such contact is not required. When the acceleration detection unit detects an acceleration operation by the driver in an operating state in which the driver does not need to contact the steering control, the driving control unit will If the speed of the vehicle is below the speed threshold, acceleration of the vehicle in the driving state is permitted until the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold. If the speed of the vehicle is greater than the speed threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle is suppressed until contact of the driver with the steering control is detected, and the driver is requested to contact the steering control. If the acceleration of the vehicle caused by the driver's acceleration operation is below the acceleration threshold, the driver's acceleration operation is permitted. If the acceleration threshold is not below the specified threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle caused by the driver's acceleration operation is suppressed, and the driver is required to contact the steering control. Vehicle control device.

13. Computers Recognize the surrounding conditions of your vehicle, The system detects the acceleration operation of the vehicle by the driver of the vehicle, The system detects the driver's contact with the steering control unit used to steer the vehicle, Based on the surrounding conditions, the system generates a target trajectory and target speed for the vehicle. The system performs driving control based on steering control of the vehicle relative to the generated target trajectory and speed control of the vehicle relative to the target speed. The aforementioned driving control includes driving states in which the driver is required to make contact with the steering control and driving states in which such contact is not required. In a driving state where the driver does not need to touch the steering control, if the driver's acceleration operation is detected, If the speed of the vehicle is below the speed threshold, acceleration of the vehicle in the driving state is permitted until the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold. If the speed of the vehicle is greater than the speed threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle is suppressed until contact of the driver with the steering control is detected, and the driver is requested to contact the steering control. If the acceleration of the vehicle caused by the driver's acceleration operation is below the acceleration threshold, the driver's acceleration operation is permitted. If the acceleration threshold is not below the specified threshold, the acceleration of the vehicle caused by the driver's acceleration operation is suppressed, and the driver is required to contact the steering control. Vehicle control method.

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