Driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and program

Abstract

To provide an improved technique capable of avoiding collision with a mobile body such as a pedestrian running out in front of an own vehicle while reducing a feeling bothering an occupant.SOLUTION: A drive support device 100 of the present disclosure is configured to execute the following processing. First processing is to detect a mobile body 20 existing in front of an own vehicle 10. Second processing is to detect a first obstacle 31 located in front of the mobile body 20 and bothering movement in a straight advance direction of the mobile body 20. Third processing is to determine the presence or absence of a second obstacle 40 forcing the mobile body 20 to move closer to the own vehicle 10 in a direction perpendicular to the straight advance direction by cooperative action with the first obstacle 31. Then, fourth processing is to more easily execute steering support for avoiding the mobile body 20 when the second obstacle 40 exists than when no second obstacle 40 exists.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a driving support technology that assists in steering a host vehicle to avoid a collision with a moving object that jumps out in front of the host vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-028951 discloses a technology for preventing a collision with a pedestrian who jumps out in front of a host vehicle. The pattern of the pedestrian's jump assumed in this prior art is a pattern in which the pedestrian jumps out to the road side in an attempt to avoid an obstacle existing in the moving direction of the pedestrian. In the prior art, when a pedestrian is in a support area set in front of an obstacle, it is determined that the probability that the pedestrian will jump out in front of the host vehicle is high. And in that case, steering assistance is performed so that the host vehicle moves away from the pedestrian.

[0003] According to the above prior art, the larger the support area is, the lower the collision risk with the pedestrian can be reduced. However, if the support area is made too large, unnecessary steering assistance will operate frequently, causing annoyance to the occupant. On the other hand, if the support area is made too small, there is a case where a pedestrian who may jump out towards the host vehicle may fall outside the support area. In the prior art, no steering assistance is provided for pedestrians outside the support area. Therefore, when a pedestrian outside the support area jumps out in front of the host vehicle, there is a risk that the collision risk will increase. Therefore, it is important to set the support area within an appropriate range in order to prevent a collision with a pedestrian who jumps out in front of the host vehicle.

[0004] However, in the conventional technology described above, the range of the support area is determined based only on obstacles present in the pedestrian's direction of movement. Whether a pedestrian jumps out in front of the vehicle certainly depends on the positional relationship between the pedestrian and any obstacles obstructing their movement. However, obstacles present in the pedestrian's direction of movement are not the only factor determining the pedestrian's direction of movement. If there is a wall or hedge on the side opposite to the vehicle relative to the obstacle, the pedestrian's direction of movement will be constrained by the wall or hedge. The likelihood of a pedestrian jumping out in front of the vehicle will differ depending on whether or not such constraints are present.

[0005] As an example of literature illustrating the state of the art in the field related to this disclosure, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-043313 can be cited. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-028951 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-043313 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] This disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned issues. The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an improved technology that can prevent collisions with moving objects such as pedestrians that suddenly appear in front of the vehicle, while minimizing inconvenience to the occupants. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, this disclosure provides a driver assistance device. The driver assistance device of this disclosure is configured to perform the following processes: The first process is to detect a moving object located in front of the vehicle. The second process is to detect a first obstacle that obstructs the longitudinal movement of the moving object. The third process is to determine whether there is a second obstacle located on the side opposite to the vehicle's driving lane relative to the first obstacle in the lateral direction, and which, in cooperation with the first obstacle, forces the moving object to move laterally toward the driving lane. The fourth process is to relax the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the moving object if the second obstacle is present, compared to when the second obstacle is not present.

[0009] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a driver assistance method performed by an in-vehicle computer. The driver assistance method of this disclosure includes the following steps: The first step is to detect a moving object located in front of the vehicle. The second step is to detect a first obstacle that obstructs the longitudinal movement of the moving object. The third step is to determine whether there is a second obstacle located on the side opposite to the vehicle's driving lane relative to the first obstacle in the lateral direction, and which, in cooperation with the first obstacle, forces the moving object to move laterally toward the driving lane. The fourth step is to relax the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the moving object if the second obstacle is present, compared to when the second obstacle is not present.

[0010] Furthermore, to achieve the above objectives, this disclosure provides a program. The program of this disclosure is configured to cause an in-vehicle computer to execute the above-described driving assistance method. The program of this disclosure may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium.

[0011] When a second obstacle is present, a moving object in front of the vehicle is forced to move laterally toward the vehicle's lane due to the cooperative action of the first and second obstacles. Therefore, when a second obstacle is present, the possibility of a moving object suddenly appearing in front of the vehicle increases compared to when the second obstacle is absent. According to the technology of this disclosure, when a second obstacle is present, the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the moving object are relaxed compared to when the second obstacle is absent. This makes it possible to prevent a collision with a moving object that suddenly appears in front of the vehicle due to the cooperative action of the first and second obstacles. Conversely, when a second obstacle is absent, the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the moving object are strengthened compared to when the second obstacle is present. This reduces the inconvenience caused to the occupants by unnecessary steering assistance intervention. Note that the second obstacle may be, for example, an object whose lateral distance from the first obstacle is less than the lower limit. The lower limit is, for example, the width through which a moving object cannot pass, or the width through which it is judged that the likelihood of a moving object passing is low.

[0012] Relaxing the conditions for performing steering assistance in the technology of this disclosure includes, for example, the following two aspects:

[0013] According to the first embodiment of the relaxed conditions for steering assistance, steering assistance is provided when the moving vehicle is located in a support execution area that extends toward the moving vehicle relative to the first obstacle in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, if a second obstacle is present, the support execution area is expanded compared to when the second obstacle is not present. By expanding the support execution area, the probability of the moving vehicle entering the support execution area increases, making it easier to perform steering assistance to avoid the moving vehicle.

[0014] One example of how to expand the support area is to expand it laterally from the side closer to the vehicle to the side further away. If there is no second obstacle, a moving object far from the vehicle is unlikely to move toward the vehicle. However, if a second obstacle is present, a moving object far from the vehicle will also be forced to move laterally toward the vehicle. By expanding the support area as in the first example, steering assistance can be activated not only for moving objects close to the vehicle but also for moving objects far away from the vehicle to prevent collisions.

[0015] More specifically, if there is no second obstacle, the first area located on the side of the driving lane relative to the first obstacle in the lateral direction may be set as the support execution area. If a second obstacle is present, in addition to the first area, the second area located on the side of the driving lane opposite to the first obstacle in the lateral direction may also be set as the support execution area. In other words, the first area located on the side of the driving lane is always set as the support execution area, while the second area on the opposite side of the driving lane may be added to or excluded from the support execution area depending on the presence or absence of the second obstacle.

[0016] A second example of how to expand the support area is to not set up a support area when there is no second obstacle, and to set up a support area when there is a second obstacle. Depending on the size of the first obstacle, even if the vertical movement of the moving object is obstructed by the first obstacle, the object does not necessarily have to jump out towards the vehicle. If a support area is set up in such a case, there is a risk that the occupants will feel annoyed by the frequent activation of unnecessary steering assistance. Therefore, by setting up a support area only when a second obstacle is present and the moving object is forced to move laterally toward the lane, it is possible to avoid collisions with moving objects that jump out in front of the vehicle while minimizing annoyance to the occupants.

[0017] More specifically, when there is a second obstacle, an area on the side opposite to the host vehicle with respect to the first obstacle in the lateral direction may be set as at least a part of the support execution area. Thereby, for a moving body that is unlikely to jump out in front of the host vehicle if the second obstacle does not exist, steering support for avoiding a collision with the moving body can be activated.

[0018] According to the second aspect of relaxing the execution conditions of the steering support, the steering support is performed when the predicted range of the future position of the moving body overlaps with the trajectory of the host vehicle. And when the second obstacle exists, the predicted range is set closer to the travel lane in the lateral direction than when the second obstacle does not exist. By setting the predicted range closer to the travel lane in the lateral direction, it becomes easier for the trajectory of the host vehicle and the predicted range to overlap, and it becomes easier to execute the steering support for avoiding the moving body.

Advantages of the Invention

[0019] As described above, according to the technology of the present disclosure, when a second obstacle exists, the execution conditions of the steering support for avoiding the moving body are relaxed compared to the case where the second obstacle does not exist. Thereby, it is possible to avoid a collision with a moving body that jumps out in front of the host vehicle while reducing the annoyance felt by the occupant.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a diagram for explaining the outline of the driving support control of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a diagram for explaining the outline of the driving support control of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] It is a diagram for explaining the outline of the driving support control of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining the outline of the driving support control of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for explaining the driving support control according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] It is a diagram for explaining the driving support control according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7]It is a diagram for explaining the driving support control according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing the procedure of the driving support control according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the driving support device according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] It is a diagram for explaining the driving support control according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] It is a diagram for explaining the driving support control according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] It is a diagram for explaining the driving support control according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart showing the procedure of the driving support control according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0021] 1. Outline of Driving Support Control FIGS. 1 to 4 are conceptual diagrams for explaining the driving support control of the present disclosure. The driving support control is vehicle control for avoiding a collision between the vehicle 10 and a front object, which is performed by the driving support device 100 mounted on the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 may be an autonomous vehicle in which at least one of the steering control, acceleration control, and deceleration control is entrusted to the driving support device 100. Hereinafter, the vehicle 10 equipped with the driving support device 100 is referred to as the host vehicle, and the outline of the driving support control will be described centering on the relationship between the host vehicle 10 and its surrounding objects.

[0022] In FIGS. 1 to 4, a state in which the host vehicle 10 is traveling in the driving lane 2 defined by the two partition lines 4 and 6 is depicted. In the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the road on which the host vehicle 10 travels is a left-hand traffic road. The left partition line 4 is the roadside strip (hereinafter referred to as the roadside strip 4), and the right partition line 6 is the lane boundary line (hereinafter referred to as the lane boundary line 6).

[0023] In the example shown in Figure 1, pedestrian 20 is walking along the outside of the road shoulder 4 in the same direction as the vehicle 10 is traveling. From the perspective of the vehicle 10, pedestrian 20 is a moving object located in front of the vehicle 10. In this specification, a moving object means an object moving along the outside of the road at a slower speed than the vehicle 10. In addition to pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, etc., are also included as moving objects in this specification.

[0024] Outside the shoulder 4, a parked vehicle 31 is located in front of the pedestrian 20 in the direction of travel. The parked vehicle 31 is an obstacle that obstructs the pedestrian 20's longitudinal movement. The longitudinal direction refers to the direction along the road on which the vehicle 10 is traveling. In this specification, an obstacle that obstructs the longitudinal movement of a moving object is referred to as a longitudinal obstacle. In this specification, a longitudinal obstacle for a moving object located in front of the vehicle 10, such as the parked vehicle 31 for the pedestrian 20 shown in Figure 1, is referred to as a first obstacle. Note that a longitudinal obstacle is not necessarily a stationary object like the parked vehicle 31. Any object moving in the same direction as the moving object at a speed slower than the moving object's speed can be a longitudinal obstacle for the moving object. Also, an object moving in the opposite direction to the moving object at an extremely slow speed can be a longitudinal obstacle for the moving object. For example, a vehicle moving slowly or a group of people walking slowly can also be a longitudinal obstacle.

[0025] The driver assistance device 100 installed in the vehicle 10 detects a pedestrian 20 and a parked vehicle 31. The driver assistance device 100 calculates the relative positions of the detected pedestrian 20 and the parked vehicle 31 and determines whether or not to provide steering assistance to the vehicle 10 based on the relative positions of the two. In determining whether or not to provide steering assistance, the route that the pedestrian 20 can take to avoid the parked vehicle 31 and move forward is taken into consideration.

[0026] There are two routes for pedestrian 20 to take to avoid parked vehicle 31: one that bypasses the parked vehicle 31 from the inside, and another that bypasses the parked vehicle 31 from the outside. The route bypassing from the inside is the route that bypasses from the side of lane 2, and the route bypassing from the outside is the route that bypasses from the side away from lane 2. On the route bypassing from the inside, pedestrian 20 is forced to walk within lane 2. Therefore, pedestrian 20 tends to choose the route bypassing from the outside, either psychologically or habitually. However, the desire to choose a shorter route is also a psychological aspect of pedestrian 20. Therefore, if the route bypassing from the inside is shorter in distance than the route bypassing from the outside, the likelihood of choosing the route bypassing from the inside increases.

[0027] Figure 1 illustrates three cases regarding the positional relationship between pedestrians 20 and parked vehicles 31. The following describes the driver assistance control by the driver assistance device 100 for each case.

[0028] In Case 1, pedestrian 20 is located to the right of the center of the parked vehicle 31 in the lateral direction, that is, on the side of lane 2. Lateral direction refers to the width direction of the road on which the vehicle 10 is traveling. If pedestrian 20 is located on the side of lane 2 relative to the center of the parked vehicle 31, the route that bypasses the parked vehicle 31 from the inside is shorter than the route that bypasses the parked vehicle 31 from the outside. Therefore, in Case 1, it can be concluded that the likelihood of pedestrian 20 choosing the route that bypasses the parked vehicle 31 from the inside is higher. In order to reduce the risk of collision with pedestrian 20, if there is a certain probability or greater that pedestrian 20 will stray into lane 2, preventative control measures should be taken to avoid a collision with pedestrian 20.

[0029] In Case 1, it is predicted that the pedestrian 20 will take a detour route from the inside, i.e., the path 21a. Therefore, the driver assistance device 100 performs steering assistance for the vehicle 10 to avoid the pedestrian 20. Specifically, the driver assistance device 100 generates a target trajectory 11a that avoids the expected path 21a of the pedestrian 20, and operates the vehicle actuators to make the vehicle 10 travel along the target trajectory 11a.

[0030] In Case 2, pedestrian 20 is positioned laterally on the side opposite to lane 2 relative to the center of parked vehicle 31. In this case, the route around parked vehicle 31 from the outside is shorter than the route around parked vehicle 31 from the inside. Therefore, it is highly likely that pedestrian 20 will choose the route around parked vehicle 31 from the outside. In this case, it is unlikely that pedestrian 20 will stray into lane 2, so to avoid causing inconvenience to the occupants, it is better not to perform any preventative controls to avoid a collision with pedestrian 20.

[0031] In Case 2, it is predicted that the pedestrian 20 will take a detour route from the outside, i.e., the path 21b. Therefore, the driver assistance device 100 does not perform steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20. The driver assistance device 100 operates the vehicle actuators to make the vehicle 10 travel along the target trajectory 11b that passes through the center of the driving lane 2.

[0032] The relative positions of the pedestrian 20 and the parked vehicle 31 in Case 3 are the same as in Case 2. However, in Case 3, a wall 40 is erected along the shoulder 4 on the outside of the shoulder 4. The driver assistance device 100 detects the wall 40 along with the pedestrian 20 and the parked vehicle 31. The driver assistance device 100 calculates the relative positions of the detected pedestrian 20, the parked vehicle 31, and the wall 40, and determines whether or not to provide steering assistance to the vehicle 10 based on these relative positions.

[0033] In Case 3, the wall 40 acts as an obstacle that prevents the pedestrian 20 from moving laterally. In this specification, an obstacle that prevents a moving object from moving laterally is referred to as a lateral obstacle. Other examples of lateral obstacles include hedges, guardrails, construction site fences, and large vehicles such as trucks and trailers. Furthermore, lateral obstacles are not necessarily limited to stationary objects like the wall 40. For example, if many bicycles are traveling in a line, the pedestrian 20 cannot move laterally across the line. Therefore, an object like a group of bicycles traveling in a line can also be a lateral obstacle for a moving object.

[0034] The wall 40 is located on the side opposite to the driving lane 2 relative to the parked vehicle 31 in the lateral direction. Therefore, in Case 3, the presence of the wall 40 prevents the pedestrian 20 from bypassing the parked vehicle 31 from the outside. If a route to bypass from the outside is not available, the pedestrian 20 is forced to move laterally toward the side closer to the driving lane 2, that is, toward the side of their own vehicle 10.

[0035] However, depending on the relative positions of the wall 40 and the parked vehicle 31, the pedestrian 20 may be able to pass between the wall 40 and the parked vehicle 31. Therefore, the pedestrian 20 is forced to move laterally toward the vehicle 10 not so much by the wall 40 alone, but rather by the combined action of the wall 40 and the parked vehicle 31. "Cooperative action" refers to an action that occurs when there are multiple acting objects acting on an object, and the actions that each of the acting objects exerts on the object combine and cooperate. In Case 3, the object being acted on is the pedestrian 20, and the acting objects are the wall 40 and the parked vehicle 31. More specifically, the pedestrian 20 is forced to move laterally toward the vehicle 2 due to the combined action of the parked vehicle 31, which prevents the pedestrian 20 from moving away from the driving lane 2, and the wall 40, which prevents the pedestrian 20 from moving away from the driving lane 2. In this specification, a lateral obstacle located on the side opposite to the driving lane 2 relative to the first obstacle in the lateral direction, and which, through cooperative action with the first obstacle, compels a moving object in front of the vehicle 10 to move laterally toward the driving lane 2, is referred to as a second obstacle. Here, "compulsing a moving object to move laterally" means that the physical constraints imposed on the moving object by the positional relationship between the obstacle and the moving object increase the probability that the moving object will move laterally. In Case 3, the physical constraints imposed on the pedestrian 20 by the positional relationship between the three elements, including the wall 40, the parked vehicle 31, and the pedestrian 20, increase the probability that the pedestrian 20 will move laterally.

[0036] In Case 3, pedestrian 20 is inevitably forced to choose a route that bypasses the parked vehicle 3 from the inside, and therefore it is predicted that pedestrian 20 will proceed along path 21c. Thus, in Case 3, the driver assistance device 100 performs steering assistance for the vehicle 10 to avoid pedestrian 20. Specifically, the driver assistance device 100 generates a target trajectory 11c that avoids the expected path 21c of pedestrian 20, and operates the vehicle actuators to drive the vehicle 10 along the target trajectory 11c.

[0037] Case 3 is a case where a second obstacle, wall 40, is present, while Case 2 is a case where the second obstacle is absent. As can be seen from these cases, when the second obstacle is present, the driver assistance device 100 relaxes the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the moving object (in this case, pedestrian 20) compared to when the second obstacle is absent. This makes it possible to avoid collisions with moving objects that suddenly appear in front of the vehicle 10 by performing necessary steering assistance, while suppressing unnecessary steering assistance that may bother the occupants.

[0038] Next, an example of driver assistance control shown in Figure 2 will be explained. In the example shown in Figure 2, a pedestrian 20 is walking on the outside of the road shoulder 4 in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the vehicle 10. Outside the road shoulder 4, in front of the pedestrian 20 in the direction of travel, there is a parked vehicle 31, which is the first obstacle (longitudinal obstacle) for the pedestrian 20. Figure 2 depicts two cases: Case 4, in which only the first obstacle, the parked vehicle 31, is present and there is no second obstacle, and Case 5, in which in addition to the parked vehicle 31, there is a second obstacle, a wall 40.

[0039] In Case 4, the pedestrian 20 is positioned laterally on the side opposite to the driving lane 2 relative to the center of the parked vehicle 31. Therefore, it is highly likely that the route chosen by the pedestrian 20 will be a detour from the outside, and it is predicted that the pedestrian 20 will proceed along path 21d. For this reason, in Case 4, the driver assistance system 100 does not perform steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20. The driver assistance system 100 operates the vehicle actuator to make the vehicle 10 travel along the target trajectory 11d that passes through the center of the driving lane 2.

[0040] In Case 5, the relative positions of the pedestrian 20 and the parked vehicle 31 are the same as in Case 4. However, in Case 5, a second obstacle, a wall 40, is located near the parked vehicle 31, forcing the pedestrian 20 to move laterally towards the driving lane 2, and thus it is predicted that the pedestrian 20 will proceed along path 21e. Therefore, in Case 5, the driver assistance device 100 performs steering assistance for the vehicle 10 to avoid the pedestrian 20. Specifically, the driver assistance device 100 generates a target trajectory 11e that avoids the expected path 21e of the pedestrian 20, and operates the vehicle actuators to drive the vehicle 10 along the target trajectory 11e.

[0041] Cases 4 and 5 involve a moving object located ahead of the first obstacle from the perspective of the vehicle 10, and the moving object moving towards the vehicle 10 while bypassing the first obstacle. In these cases as well, the driver assistance system 100 relaxes the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the moving object when a second obstacle is present, compared to when the second obstacle is not present. This makes it possible to prevent a collision with a moving object that suddenly appears in front of the vehicle 10.

[0042] Next, an example of driver assistance control shown in Figure 3 will be explained. In the example shown in Figure 3, a pedestrian 20, which is a moving object, is walking on the outside of the road shoulder 4 in the same direction as the vehicle 10 is traveling. Outside the road shoulder 4, a utility pole 32 is standing in front of the pedestrian 20 in the direction of travel. The utility pole 32 is also a longitudinal obstacle that hinders the pedestrian 20's longitudinal movement, i.e., a first obstacle. Here, we take the example where the direction of movement of the moving object and the direction of travel of the vehicle 10 are the same, but as in the example shown in Figure 2, the moving object may be located in front of the first obstacle from the perspective of the vehicle 10, and the moving object may be moving in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the vehicle 10.

[0043] There are two routes for pedestrian 20 to take to avoid the utility pole 32: one that bypasses the utility pole 32 from the inside, and another that bypasses the utility pole 32 from the outside. However, compared to the parked vehicles 31 in cases 1 to 5, the utility pole 32 is narrower in width and shorter in depth. Depth refers to the depth as seen from the pedestrian 20, meaning the length in the vertical direction. Therefore, whether pedestrian 20 chooses to bypass from the inside or from the outside, there is no difference in the distance they walk. Furthermore, even if pedestrian 20 chooses to bypass from the inside, the time they spend walking within the driving lane 2 is very short. Thus, the psychological resistance for pedestrian 20 to choose to bypass the utility pole 32 from the inside is considered to be smaller than when bypassing the parked vehicles 31 from the inside.

[0044] Examples of vertical obstacles that are small in both width and depth, such as the utility pole 32, include signs, mailboxes, and abandoned bicycles. A person standing still in one place may also be considered a vertical obstacle like the utility pole 32. Here, vertical obstacles that are large in either width or depth, such as the parked vehicle 31, are defined as Type 1 vertical obstacles, and vertical obstacles that are small in both width and depth, such as the utility pole 32, are defined as Type 2 vertical obstacles. Whether an object is a Type 1 or Type 2 vertical obstacle may be determined from the name of the object recognized by object recognition. Alternatively, a specified value may be set for the size of the vertical obstacle, and whether it is a Type 1 or Type 2 vertical obstacle may be determined based on whether the size of the detected vertical obstacle is larger than the specified value. In that case, the specified value may be changed according to the effective sidewalk width, for example, the width from the road shoulder 4 to the wall 40. Alternatively, specified values ​​may be set for both width and depth, and if at least one of the width and depth is larger than the specified value, it may be determined to be a Type 1 vertical obstacle.

[0045] Figure 3 shows two cases: Case 6, in which only the first obstacle, the utility pole 32, is present and the second obstacle is absent; and Case 7, in which both the utility pole 32 and the second obstacle, the wall 40, are present. The following describes the driver assistance control by the driver assistance device 100 for each case.

[0046] In Case 6, pedestrian 20 is positioned approximately at the same location as utility pole 32 in the lateral direction. In this case, the route chosen by pedestrian 20 might be one that bypasses utility pole 32 from the inside, or one that bypasses utility pole 32 from the outside. Even if pedestrian 20's position relative to utility pole 32 in the lateral direction shifts towards lane 2, or to the opposite side of lane 2, the route chosen by pedestrian 20 cannot be uniquely determined. In other words, in Case 6, it is impossible to predict whether pedestrian 20 will proceed along path 22a or path 22b.

[0047] If steering assistance is performed to avoid pedestrian 20 even though pedestrian 20 has chosen path 22a, the occupants will feel annoyed. Assuming there is about a 50% chance that pedestrian 20 will choose path 22a, the frequency with which occupants feel annoyed will be considerable. Therefore, in case 6, the driver assistance device 100 does not perform steering assistance to avoid pedestrian 20. The driver assistance device 100 operates the vehicle actuator to make the vehicle 10 travel along the target trajectory 12a that passes through the center of the driving lane 2.

[0048] The positional relationship between the pedestrian 20 and the utility pole 32 in Case 7 is the same as in Case 6. However, in Case 7, a wall 40 stands near the utility pole 32. Assume that the gap between the wall 40 and the utility pole 32 is either too narrow for the pedestrian 20 to pass through, or too narrow for the pedestrian 20 to pass through. In that case, the combined effect of the utility pole 32 preventing the pedestrian 20 from moving vertically and the wall 40 preventing the pedestrian 20 from moving away from the traffic lane 2 forces the pedestrian 20 to move laterally toward the traffic lane 2.

[0049] In Case 7, pedestrian 20 is inevitably forced to choose a route that bypasses the utility pole 32 from the inside, and therefore it is predicted that pedestrian 20 will proceed along path 22c. Thus, in Case 7, the driver assistance device 100 performs steering assistance for the vehicle 10 to avoid pedestrian 20. Specifically, the driver assistance device 100 generates a target trajectory 12b that avoids the expected path 22c of pedestrian 20, and operates the vehicle actuators to drive the vehicle 10 along the target trajectory 12b.

[0050] Cases 6 and 7 are cases where the first obstacle is a longitudinal obstacle with small width and depth, and the route the moving body takes to bypass the first obstacle is not determined regardless of the lateral position of the moving body relative to the first obstacle. In these cases as well, the driver assistance device 100 relaxes the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the moving body when a second obstacle is present, compared to when the second obstacle is not present. This makes it possible to prevent a collision with a moving body that suddenly appears in front of the vehicle 10.

[0051] Here, we will explain using Figure 4 a case in which a lateral obstacle exists but does not qualify as a second obstacle. Figure 4 shows case 3', in which a lateral obstacle that does not qualify as a second obstacle exists along with a first-class longitudinal obstacle, and case 7', in which a lateral obstacle that does not qualify as a second obstacle exists along with a second-class longitudinal obstacle.

[0052] In Case 3', a wall 40 is erected on the side of the parked vehicle 31 that is opposite to the driving lane 2. The wall 40 obstructs the pedestrian 20 from moving away from the driving lane 2. However, the distance D1 from the parked vehicle 31 to the wall 40 is wide enough for the pedestrian 20 to pass between the parked vehicle 31 and the wall 40. Therefore, the pedestrian 20 is not forced to move laterally toward the driving lane 2. Thus, although the wall 40 in Case 3' is a lateral obstacle, it does not fall under the definition of a second obstacle as defined herein. Whether or not something falls under the definition of a second obstacle is determined by whether the measured distance D1 is smaller than a lower limit. The lower limit is, for example, a width that the pedestrian 20 cannot pass through, or a width that is judged to be unlikely to be passed through. The lower limit may be statistically determined based on the average width of the pedestrian 20.

[0053] The parked vehicle 31 is a first-class longitudinal obstacle. Therefore, if the pedestrian 20 is located to the left of the center of the parked vehicle 31 in the lateral direction, it is highly likely that the detour route chosen by the pedestrian 20 will be a route that goes around the parked vehicle 31 from the outside, similar to case 2. In other words, in case 3', it is predicted that the pedestrian 20 will proceed along path 21b. For this reason, the driver assistance device 100 does not perform steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20, but instead drives the vehicle 10 along the target trajectory 11b that passes through the center of the driving lane 2.

[0054] In Case 7', a wall 40 is erected on the side of the utility pole 32 opposite to the traffic lane 2 in the lateral direction. The wall 40 obstructs the pedestrian 20 from moving away from the traffic lane 2. However, the distance D2 from the utility pole 32 to the wall 40 is wide enough for the pedestrian 20 to pass between the utility pole 32 and the wall 40. Therefore, the pedestrian 20 is not forced to move laterally toward the traffic lane 2. Thus, although the wall 40 in Case 7' is a lateral obstacle, it does not fall under the definition of a second obstacle as defined herein. Whether or not something falls under the definition of a second obstacle is determined by whether or not the measured distance D2 is smaller than the lower limit. The lower limit for distance D1 and the lower limit for distance D2 may be fixed values, or they may be the width of the moving object (in this case, the pedestrian 20) plus a predetermined margin. Furthermore, comparing the case of passing between the parked vehicle 31 and the wall 40 with the case of passing between the utility pole 32 and the wall 40, the latter is more likely to feel psychologically narrower to the pedestrian 20. Therefore, the lower limit for distance D1 may be set higher than the lower limit for distance D2.

[0055] The utility pole 32 is a Type 2 longitudinal obstacle. Therefore, as in Case 6, the route that pedestrian 20 takes to bypass the utility pole 32 cannot be uniquely determined, regardless of the pedestrian 20's position relative to the utility pole 32. In other words, in Case 3', it is impossible to predict whether pedestrian 20 will proceed along path 22a or path 22b. For this reason, the driver assistance device 100 does not perform steering assistance to avoid pedestrian 20, but instead drives the vehicle 10 along the target trajectory 12a that passes through the center of the driving lane 2.

[0056] 2. Driving support control according to the first embodiment 2-1. Examples of application to Cases 1 through 7 Specific embodiments of the above-described driving assistance control will now be explained. In the driving assistance control according to the first embodiment, an assistance execution area is set with respect to the first obstacle as the starting point. The assistance execution area is an area that extends in the longitudinal direction toward the moving body relative to the first obstacle. When the moving body is located within the assistance execution area, steering assistance is provided to the vehicle 10 by the driving assistance device 100. In the first embodiment, the assistance execution area is expanded as a method to relax the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the moving body. Details of the assistance execution area can be explained using the above-described cases 1 to 7. The driving assistance control according to the first embodiment will be explained below for each of the above-described cases.

[0057] Figure 5 shows examples of the application of the driver assistance control according to the first embodiment to cases 1 to 3. Cases 1 and 2 are cases in which only a parked vehicle 31, which is a first obstacle, is present around the pedestrian 20 and there is no second obstacle. Case 3 is a case in which a wall 40, which is a second obstacle, is present in addition to the first obstacle. Upon detecting the pedestrian 20 and the parked vehicle 31, the driver assistance device 100 sets up an assistance execution area 51 that extends in the longitudinal direction from the parked vehicle 31 towards the pedestrian 20.

[0058] In Case 1 and Case 2, the right area (first area) 51a, which extends laterally from the center of the parked vehicle 31 toward the driving lane 2, is set as the support execution area 51. The right area 51a has, for example, a rectangular shape. The width of the right area 51a may be a fixed value independent of the size of the first obstacle, or it may be set according to the size of the first obstacle. For example, the width of the right area 51a may be set to be longer by a predetermined margin than the distance from the lateral center of the first obstacle to its right edge. The length of the right area 51a may also be a fixed value independent of the size of the first obstacle, or it may be set according to the size of the first obstacle. For example, if the width of the right area 51a is set to be wider the wider the width of the first obstacle, the length of the right area 51a may be set to be longer the wider the width of the right area 51a.

[0059] In Case 1, pedestrian 20 is walking laterally on the side of lane 2 relative to the center of parked vehicle 31. Since the position of pedestrian 20 is within the support execution area 51, the driver assistance device 100 performs steering assistance for the vehicle 10 to avoid pedestrian 20. Specifically, the driver assistance device 100 generates a target trajectory 11a that is offset from the center of lane 2 towards the lane boundary line 6, and operates the steering actuator to make the vehicle 10 travel along the target trajectory 11a. The amount of offset of the target trajectory relative to the center of lane 2 when steering assistance is performed may be a fixed value or may be set according to the position and speed of pedestrian 20. When pedestrian 20 moves to the right side of the support execution area 51, that is, further inside lane 2, the driver assistance device 100 operates the braking actuator and drive actuator to stop the vehicle 10.

[0060] In Case 2, pedestrian 20 is walking on the side of the parked vehicle 31 opposite to the driving lane 2 in the lateral direction relative to the center of the parked vehicle 31. The position where pedestrian 20 is walking is outside the support execution area 51, which is set in the lateral direction from the center of the parked vehicle 31 toward the driving lane 2. Therefore, steering assistance by the driver assistance device 100 to avoid pedestrian 20 is not performed, and the vehicle 10 travels along the target trajectory 11b that passes through the center of the driving lane 2. This prevents the occupants of the vehicle 10 from feeling annoyed by unnecessary steering assistance intervention.

[0061] In Case 3, the support execution area 51 expands laterally from the side closer to the driving lane 2 to the side further away. Specifically, the support execution area 51 is defined as the combined area of ​​the left area (second area) 51b and the right area 51a, which extend laterally from the center of the parked vehicle 31 away from the driving lane 2. The left area 51b has, for example, a rectangular shape. The width of the left area 51b is defined as the distance from the lateral center of the first obstacle to the second obstacle. In the example shown in Figure 5, the width of the left area 51b is defined as the distance from the center of the parked vehicle 31 to the wall 40. The vertical length of the left area 51b is set to be the same as the vertical length of the right area 51a. However, the vertical lengths of the left area 51b and the right area 51a may be different.

[0062] In Case 3, the position where pedestrian 20 is walking is on the side opposite to the driving lane 2 relative to the center of the parked vehicle 31 in the lateral direction. However, when the left area 51b is added to the support execution area 51, the position where pedestrian 20 is walking comes into the support execution area 51. In response, the driver assistance device 100 performs steering assistance to avoid pedestrian 20 and generates a target trajectory 11c that is offset from the center of the driving lane 2 towards the lane boundary line 6. Thus, in Case 3, where the second obstacle, wall 40, is present, the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid pedestrian 20 are relaxed compared to Case 2, where wall 40 is not present. As a result, in a situation where there is a high probability that pedestrian 20 will suddenly appear in front of the vehicle 10, a collision between pedestrian 20 and the vehicle 10 can be avoided.

[0063] Figure 6 shows examples of the application of the driver assistance control according to the first embodiment to cases 4 and 5. Cases 4 and 5 are cases in which a pedestrian 20 walks in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the vehicle 10 and approaches the first obstacle, which is a parked vehicle 31.

[0064] In cases 4 and 5, the support execution area 52 is set on the side opposite to the vehicle 10 relative to the parked vehicle 31 in the longitudinal direction. In case 4, since there is no second obstacle, the right area (first area) 52a extending from the center of the parked vehicle 31 toward the driving lane 2 in the lateral direction is set as the support execution area 52. In case 5, since there is a wall 40, which is the second obstacle, the support execution area 51 is expanded from the side closer to the driving lane 2 toward the side further away in the lateral direction. Specifically, the area that combines the left area (second area) 52b extending from the center of the parked vehicle 31 toward the opposite side of the driving lane 2 in the lateral direction and the right area 52a is set as the support execution area 52. The approach to the shape and size of the left area 52b and the right area 52a is the same as the approach used in cases 1 to 3.

[0065] In Case 4, the pedestrian 20 is walking outside the support execution area 51. Therefore, steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 by the driver assistance device 100 is not performed, and the vehicle 10 travels along the target trajectory 11d that passes through the center of the driving lane 2. On the other hand, in Case 5, the pedestrian 20 is walking inside the support execution area 51. Therefore, steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 by the driver assistance device 100 is performed, and a target trajectory 11e is generated that is offset from the center of the driving lane 2 towards the lane boundary line 6.

[0066] In cases 4 and 5, the support execution area 52 is set on the same side in the longitudinal direction as the pedestrian 20 is positioned relative to the parked vehicle 31. This also applies to cases 1 to 3. In cases 1 to 3, the support execution area 51 is set on the same side in the longitudinal direction as the pedestrian 20 is positioned relative to the parked vehicle 31. In other words, in cases 1 to 5, the support execution area is set according to the position of the pedestrian 20 relative to the parked vehicle 31. However, if a potential first obstacle such as a parked vehicle 31 is detected, support execution areas may be set on both sides in the longitudinal direction. For example, if only the parked vehicle 31 is detected, the right areas 51a and 52a may be set, and if both the parked vehicle 31 and the wall 40 are detected, the left areas 51b and 52b may be set in addition to the right areas 51a and 52a.

[0067] Figure 7 shows examples of applying the driver assistance control according to the first embodiment to cases 6 and 7. Cases 6 and 7 are cases where the first obstacle is a vertical obstacle that is small in both width and depth, such as a utility pole 32. In these cases, the assistance execution area is set in a different way than in cases 1 to 5.

[0068] In Case 6, no support execution area is set. This is because it is impossible to predict whether pedestrian 20 will proceed along path 22a or path 22b, regardless of pedestrian 20's position relative to the utility pole 32. Therefore, in Case 6, regardless of pedestrian 20's position, the driver assistance device 100 does not perform steering assistance to avoid pedestrian 20, and the vehicle 10 travels along the target trajectory 12a that passes through the center of the driving lane 2. This prevents the occupants of the vehicle 10 from feeling annoyed by unnecessary steering assistance intervention.

[0069] In Case 7, the support execution area 53 is set on the side of the vehicle 10 relative to the utility pole 32 in the vertical direction. This is because, due to the presence of the second obstacle, the wall 40, the path that the pedestrian 20 can take is limited to a path 22c that bypasses the utility pole 32 from the inside, regardless of the pedestrian 20's position relative to the utility pole 32. The support execution area 53 extends horizontally from the wall 40 to at least the shoulder 4. The right edge of the support execution area 53 may extend beyond the shoulder 4 into the driving lane 2. The vertical length of the support execution area 53 may be set to a fixed value, for example.

[0070] In Case 7, the direction of travel is restricted by the utility pole 32 and the wall 40, so the position where the pedestrian 20 is walking falls within the support execution area 53. Therefore, steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 is performed by the driver assistance device 100, and a target trajectory 12b is generated that is offset from the center of the driving lane 2 towards the lane boundary line 6. Thus, in Case 7, where the second obstacle, the wall 40, is present, the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 are relaxed compared to Case 6, where the wall 40 is absent. As a result, in a situation where there is a high probability that the pedestrian 20 will suddenly appear in front of the vehicle 10, a collision between the pedestrian 20 and the vehicle 10 can be avoided.

[0071] 2-2. Procedure for driver assistance control The driver assistance device 100 performs driver assistance control according to the procedure shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure for driver assistance control performed by the driver assistance device 100 in the first embodiment. The flowchart shown in Figure 8 is executed when a moving object is detected in front of the vehicle 10 and a longitudinal obstacle (first obstacle) that obstructs the longitudinal movement of the moving object is detected.

[0072] In step S101 of the flowchart shown in Figure 8, it is determined whether the size of the vertical obstacle is greater than a specified value. If the size of the vertical obstacle is greater than the specified value, it is determined to be a Type 1 vertical obstacle. If the size of the vertical obstacle is less than or equal to the specified value, it is determined to be a Type 2 vertical obstacle.

[0073] If the longitudinal obstacle is a first-class longitudinal obstacle, the process proceeds to step S102. In step S102, it is determined whether the moving object is within the support execution area set with respect to the longitudinal obstacle. Since the longitudinal obstacle is a first-class longitudinal obstacle, the support execution area is set to the right of the longitudinal obstacle in the lateral direction, on the side of the driving lane.

[0074] If a moving object is within the support execution area, the process proceeds to step S107. In step S107, steering assistance is performed to avoid the moving object. Case 1 described above is one of the cases in which the determination result in step S102 is positive and steering assistance is performed.

[0075] If the moving object is not within the support execution area, the process proceeds to step S103. Also, if the longitudinal obstacle is a Type 2 longitudinal obstacle, the process skips step S102 and proceeds to step S103. In step S103, it is determined whether or not there are lateral obstacles around the moving object. If there are no lateral obstacles, steering assistance to avoid the moving object is not performed. Cases 2, 4, and 6 described above are included in cases where the determination result in step S103 is negative and steering assistance is not performed.

[0076] If a lateral obstacle exists, the process proceeds to step S104. In step S104, it is determined whether the moving body can pass between the longitudinal obstacle and the lateral obstacle. If the moving body can pass between the longitudinal obstacle and the lateral obstacle, the lateral obstacle does not constitute a second obstacle. In this case, steering assistance to avoid the moving body is not performed. Cases 3' and 7' described above are included in cases where the determination result in step S104 is negative and steering assistance is not performed.

[0077] If a moving object cannot pass between a longitudinal obstacle and a lateral obstacle, the lateral obstacle is considered a second obstacle. In this case, the process proceeds to step S105. In step S105, the support execution area is expanded. If the longitudinal obstacle is a first-class longitudinal obstacle, the left area on the side opposite to the driving lane relative to the longitudinal obstacle is added to the support execution area. If the longitudinal obstacle is a second-class longitudinal obstacle, the support execution area is set for the first time at this point. Cases in which the judgment result of step S104 is affirmative include cases 3, 5, and 7 described above.

[0078] Next, in step S106, it is determined whether the moving object is within the expanded support execution area. If the moving object is not within the expanded support execution area, steering assistance to avoid the moving object is not performed. However, if the moving object is within the expanded support execution area, the process proceeds to step S107. In step S107, steering assistance to avoid the moving object is performed. Cases 3, 5, and 7 described above are included in the cases where the determination result in step S106 is positive and steering assistance is performed.

[0079] 2-3. Configuration of the driver assistance system Finally, the configuration of the driver assistance device 100 for performing the above-described driver assistance control will be explained. Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example configuration of the driver assistance device 100 and a vehicle 10 to which it is applied according to the first embodiment. The vehicle 10 includes a control device 110 that controls the vehicle 10, a group of sensors 120 that input information to the control device 110, and a vehicle actuator 130 that operates according to signals output from the control device 110. The control device 110, the group of sensors 120, and the vehicle actuator 130 are connected by an in-vehicle network such as CAN (Controller Area Network). The driver assistance device 100 includes at least the control device 110. However, the driver assistance device 100 may also include the group of sensors 120 in addition to the control device 110. Furthermore, the driver assistance device 100 may also include the vehicle actuator 130.

[0080] The sensor group 120 includes an autonomous sensor 121, a vehicle state sensor 122, and a position sensor 123. The autonomous sensor 121 is a sensor that acquires information about the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 10, including the area in front of the vehicle 10. The autonomous sensor 121 includes at least one of a camera, a millimeter-wave radar, and LiDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging). Based on the information obtained by the autonomous sensor 121, processing is performed such as detecting objects present around the vehicle 10, measuring the relative position and relative speed of the detected objects with respect to the vehicle 10, and recognizing the shape of the detected objects. Moving objects, longitudinal obstacles, and lateral obstacles present in front of the vehicle 10 are detected by the autonomous sensor 121.

[0081] The vehicle state sensor 122 is a sensor that acquires information about the motion of the vehicle 10. The vehicle state sensor 122 includes, for example, at least one of a wheel speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor, and a steering angle sensor. The position sensor 123 is used to acquire information about the current position of the vehicle 10. A GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver is an example of the position sensor 123. If the driver assistance device 100 has high-precision map information, it can recognize obstacles present around the vehicle 10 based on the current position of the vehicle 10 acquired by the position sensor 123 and the high-precision map information. For example, information about obstacles fixed on the map, such as utility poles and walls, may be acquired from the high-precision map information instead of being acquired by the autonomous sensor 121.

[0082] The vehicle actuator 130 is an actuator that controls the motion of the vehicle 10. The vehicle actuator 130 includes a steering actuator 131 for steering the vehicle 10, a drive actuator 132 for driving the vehicle 10, and a braking actuator 133 for braking the vehicle 10. The steering actuator 131 includes, for example, a power steering system, a steer-by-wire steering system, and a rear-wheel steering system. The drive actuator 132 includes, for example, an engine, a motor, and a hybrid system. The braking actuator 133 includes, for example, a hydraulic brake and a regenerative brake.

[0083] The control device 110 is an in-vehicle computer, such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The control device 110 has a processor 111 and a program memory 112 coupled to the processor 111. The processor 111 may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), or other processing unit. Alternatively, the processor 111 may be a combination of two or more CPUs, FPGAs, ASICs, or other processing units.

[0084] The program memory 112 stores a driver assistance program 113 consisting of multiple executable instructions. The driver assistance program 113 is a program that causes the processor 111 to execute the driver assistance control shown in the flowchart in Figure 8. The driver assistance program 113 can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The control device 110 also has storage (not shown) that stores various data for driver assistance, including map information.

[0085] 3. Driving support control according to the second embodiment 3-1. Examples of application to Cases 1 through 7 Next, a second embodiment of this disclosure will be described. In the driver assistance control according to the second embodiment, a predicted range of the future position of the moving object is calculated. To calculate the predicted range, the driver assistance device 100 calculates the probability of the moving object being present at each position on the XY plane at a predetermined time in the future, based on the moving object's current position, direction of movement, speed of movement, and surrounding environment. Positions with a high probability of presence are considered to be positions with a high risk of collision with the vehicle 10. When contour lines are generated by connecting sets of positions with the same probability of presence, contour lines closer to the center have a higher probability of presence, and contour lines further out have a lower probability of presence. In this specification, the predicted range is defined as the region where the probability of the moving object being present is above a certain value.

[0086] In the driver assistance control according to the second embodiment, if the prediction range overlaps with the trajectory of the vehicle 10, steering assistance is provided to the vehicle 10 by the driver assistance device 100. Furthermore, as a method to relax the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid a moving object, the prediction range is set closer to the driving lane. Specific examples of the prediction range can be explained using the above-described cases 1 to 7. The driver assistance control according to the second embodiment will be explained below for each of the above-described cases.

[0087] Figure 10 shows examples of the application of the driver assistance control according to the second embodiment to cases 1 to 3. Cases 1 and 2 are cases in which only a parked vehicle 31, which is a first obstacle, is present around the pedestrian 20 and there is no second obstacle. Case 3 is a case in which a wall 40, which is a second obstacle, is present in addition to the first obstacle.

[0088] In Case 1, the predicted range 61 of pedestrian 20's future position extends from pedestrian 20's current position toward the right side of the parked vehicle 31, that is, toward the side of lane 2. This is because pedestrian 20's current position is on the side of lane 2 relative to the center of the parked vehicle 31 in the lateral direction, making it highly likely that pedestrian 20 will bypass the parked vehicle 31 from the inside. The path 21a from pedestrian 20's current position to the center of the predicted range 61, that is, the position with the highest probability of existence, is the path that pedestrian 20 is predicted to choose to bypass the parked vehicle 31 in Case 1.

[0089] In Case 1, the predicted range 61 overlaps with the current trajectory 11 of the vehicle 10. Therefore, the driver assistance system 100 performs steering assistance for the vehicle 10 to avoid the pedestrian 20. Specifically, the driver assistance system 100 generates a target trajectory 11a that is offset from the center of the driving lane 2 towards the lane boundary line 6, and operates the steering actuator to make the vehicle 10 travel along the target trajectory 11a. The amount of offset of the target trajectory from the center of the driving lane 2 when steering assistance is performed is set so that the target trajectory 11a does not overlap with the predicted range 61. If the predicted range 61 extends across the entire driving lane 2 and there is no room to generate a target trajectory 11a that does not overlap with the predicted range 61, the driver assistance system 100 operates the braking actuator and drive actuator to bring the vehicle 10 to a stop.

[0090] In Case 2, the predicted range 62 of pedestrian 20's future position extends from pedestrian 20's current position toward the left side of the parked vehicle 31, that is, toward the side opposite to the driving lane 2. This is because pedestrian 20's current position is on the side opposite to the driving lane 2 relative to the center of the parked vehicle 31 in the lateral direction, making it highly likely that pedestrian 20 will bypass the parked vehicle 31 from the outside. The path 21b from pedestrian 20's current position to the center of the predicted range 62 is the path that pedestrian 20 is predicted to choose to bypass the parked vehicle 31 in Case 2.

[0091] In Case 2, the predicted range 62 does not overlap with the current trajectory 11 of the vehicle 10. Therefore, steering assistance by the driver assistance device 100 to avoid the pedestrian 20 is not performed, and the vehicle 10 travels along the target trajectory 11b that passes through the center of the driving lane 2. This prevents the occupants of the vehicle 10 from feeling annoyed by unnecessary steering assistance intervention.

[0092] In Case 3, the current position of pedestrian 20 is on the side opposite to lane 2 relative to the center of the parked vehicle 31 in the lateral direction. However, the predicted range 63 of pedestrian 20's future position extends from pedestrian 20's current position toward the right side of the parked vehicle 31. This is because the combined action of wall 40 and parked vehicle 31 forces pedestrian 20 to move laterally toward lane 2. The path 21c from pedestrian 20's current position to the center of the predicted range 63 is the path that pedestrian 20 is predicted to choose in Case 3 to bypass the parked vehicle 31.

[0093] In Case 3, the predicted range 63 overlaps with the current trajectory 11 of the vehicle 10. Therefore, the driver assistance system 100 performs steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 and generates a target trajectory 11c that is offset from the center of the driving lane 2 towards the lane boundary line 6 so as not to overlap with the predicted range 63. In this way, in Case 3, where the second obstacle, the wall 40, is present, the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 are relaxed compared to Case 2, where the wall 40 is absent. As a result, in a situation where there is a high probability that the pedestrian 20 will suddenly appear in front of the vehicle 10, a collision between the pedestrian 20 and the vehicle 10 can be avoided.

[0094] Figure 11 shows examples of the application of the driver assistance control according to the second embodiment to cases 4 and 5. Cases 4 and 5 are cases in which a pedestrian 20 walks in the opposite direction to the direction of travel of the vehicle 10 and approaches the first obstacle, which is a parked vehicle 31.

[0095] In cases 4 and 5, the predicted ranges 64 and 65 of the pedestrian's future position extend in the longitudinal direction to the side opposite to the parked vehicle 31 from the vehicle 10. However, in case 4, the predicted range 64 extends from the pedestrian's current position toward the left of the parked vehicle 31, whereas in case 5, the predicted range 65 extends from the pedestrian's current position toward the right of the parked vehicle 31. In case 4, the pedestrian 20 is likely to bypass the parked vehicle 31 from the outside, but in case 5, the combined action of the wall 40 and the parked vehicle 31 forces the pedestrian 20 to move laterally toward lane 2.

[0096] In Case 4, the predicted range 64 does not overlap with the current trajectory 11 of the vehicle 10. Therefore, steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 by the driver assistance device 100 is not performed, and the vehicle 10 travels along the target trajectory 11d that passes through the center of the driving lane 2. On the other hand, in Case 5, the predicted range 65 overlaps with the current trajectory 11 of the vehicle 10. Therefore, steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 by the driver assistance device 100 is performed, and a target trajectory 11e is generated that is offset from the center of the driving lane 2 towards the lane boundary line 6 so as not to overlap with the predicted range 65.

[0097] Figure 12 shows examples of the application of the driver assistance control according to the second embodiment to cases 6 and 7. Cases 6 and 7 are cases in which the first obstacle is a vertical obstacle that is small in both width and depth, such as a utility pole 32.

[0098] In Case 6, the predicted range 66 of the pedestrian's future position extends from the pedestrian's current position toward both the left and right sides of the parked vehicle 31. This is because, regardless of the pedestrian's position relative to the utility pole 32, it is uncertain whether the pedestrian will bypass the utility pole 32 from the inside or the outside. The predicted range 66 set in Case 6 does not overlap with the vehicle's current trajectory 12. Therefore, regardless of the pedestrian's position, the driver assistance device 100 does not perform steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20, and the vehicle 10 travels along the target trajectory 12a that passes through the center of the driving lane 2. This prevents the occupants of the vehicle 10 from feeling annoyed by unnecessary steering assistance intervention.

[0099] In Case 7, the predicted range 67 of the pedestrian's future position extends from the pedestrian's current position toward the right of the parked vehicle 31. This is because, due to the combined action of the wall 40 and the parked vehicle 31, the pedestrian 20 is forced to move laterally toward the driving lane 2, regardless of their position relative to the utility pole 32. The path 22c from the pedestrian's current position to the center of the predicted range 67 is the path that the pedestrian 20 is predicted to choose in Case 7 to bypass the parked vehicle 31.

[0100] In Case 7, the predicted range 67 overlaps with the current trajectory 12 of the vehicle 10. Therefore, the driver assistance system 100 performs steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 and generates a target trajectory 12b that is offset from the center of the driving lane 2 towards the lane boundary line 6 so as not to overlap with the predicted range 67. In this way, in Case 7, where the second obstacle, the wall 40, is present, the conditions for performing steering assistance to avoid the pedestrian 20 are relaxed compared to Case 6, where the wall 40 is not present. As a result, in a situation where there is a high probability that the pedestrian 20 will suddenly appear in front of the vehicle 10, a collision between the pedestrian 20 and the vehicle 10 can be avoided.

[0101] 3-2. Procedure for driver assistance control The driver assistance device 100 performs driver assistance control according to the procedure shown in Figure 13. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the procedure for driver assistance control performed by the driver assistance device 100 in the second embodiment. The flowchart shown in Figure 13 is executed when a moving object is detected in front of the vehicle 10 and a longitudinal obstacle (first obstacle) that obstructs the longitudinal movement of the moving object is detected.

[0102] In step S201 of the flowchart shown in Figure 13, it is determined whether the size of the vertical obstacle is greater than a specified value. If the size of the vertical obstacle is greater than the specified value, it is determined to be a Type 1 vertical obstacle. If the size of the vertical obstacle is less than or equal to the specified value, it is determined to be a Type 2 vertical obstacle. Cases 1 to 5 described above are included in the cases where the determination result of step S201 is affirmative. The determination result of step S201 is stored in memory.

[0103] Next, in step S202, it is determined whether or not there are lateral obstacles around the moving object. Cases in which the determination result of step S202 is positive include cases 3, 5, and 7 mentioned above. The determination result of step S202 is stored in memory.

[0104] Next, in step S203, it is determined whether the moving object can pass between the vertical obstacle and the horizontal obstacle. However, this determination is only made if the result of the determination in step S202 is positive. If the moving object can pass between the vertical obstacle and the horizontal obstacle, the horizontal obstacle does not constitute a second obstacle.

[0105] Next, in step S204, the predicted range of the future position of the moving object is calculated based on the determination results from steps S201 to S203, as well as the current position, direction of movement, and speed of movement of the moving object.

[0106] Next, in step S205, it is determined whether the predicted range of the future position of the moving object calculated in step 204 overlaps with the trajectory 11 of the vehicle 10. If the predicted range does not overlap with the trajectory of the vehicle 10, steering assistance to avoid the moving object is not performed. Cases in which the determination result in step S205 is negative and steering assistance is not performed include cases 2, 4, and 6 described above.

[0107] If the predicted range overlaps with the trajectory of the vehicle 10, the process proceeds to step S206. In step S206, steering assistance is performed to avoid the moving object. Cases in which the determination result in step S205 is positive and steering assistance is performed include the above-mentioned cases 1, 3, 5, and 7.

[0108] 3-3. Configuration of the driver assistance system The configuration of the driver assistance device 100 for implementing the above-described driver assistance control can be represented by the block diagram shown in Figure 9, similar to the first embodiment. In other words, the hardware of the driver assistance device 100 according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment. The only difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is the content of the driver assistance program 113 stored in the program memory 112. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0109] 2 driving lanes 10. Own vehicle 20 Pedestrians (moving objects) 31. Parked vehicles (longitudinal obstruction, primary obstruction) 32. Utility pole (vertical obstruction, first obstruction) 40 Wall (Lateral obstacle, Secondary obstacle) 51-53 Support Implementation Area 51a, 52a Right area (First area) 51b, 52b Left area (second area) 61-67 Forecast range 100 Driving support devices 110 Control device 111 processors 112 Program Memory 113 Driving Assistance Programs

Claims

1. Detecting moving objects in front of the vehicle, To detect a first obstacle located in front of the moving body that obstructs the movement of the moving body in the straight-line direction, To determine whether there is a second obstacle that, through cooperative action with the first obstacle, forces the moving body to move toward the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the straight-ahead direction, The system is configured to make it easier to perform steering assistance to avoid the moving object when the second obstacle is present than when the second obstacle is not present, Making the aforementioned steering assistance easier to implement is The steering assistance is provided when the moving body is located in the support execution area that extends toward the moving body with respect to the first obstacle in the straight-ahead direction. This includes, if the second obstacle is present, expanding the support execution area compared to when the second obstacle is not present. A driving assistance device characterized by the following features.

2. In the driving support device according to Claim 1, Expanding the aforementioned support implementation area means This includes expanding the support execution area from the side closer to the vehicle's driving lane to the side further away in a direction perpendicular to the straight-ahead direction. A driving assistance device characterized by the following features.

3. In the driving support device according to Claim 2, Expanding the aforementioned support implementation area means If the second obstacle does not exist, the first area located on the side of the driving lane relative to the first obstacle in a direction perpendicular to the straight-ahead direction is set as the support execution area. If the second obstacle exists, the support execution area includes setting the second area and the first area, which are on the side opposite to the driving lane relative to the first obstacle in a direction perpendicular to the straight-ahead direction, as the support execution area. A driving assistance device characterized by the following features.

4. In the driving support device according to Claim 1, Expanding the aforementioned support implementation area means This includes not providing the support execution area if the second obstacle does not exist, and providing the support execution area if the second obstacle exists. A driving assistance device characterized by the following features.

5. In the driving support device according to claim 4, Establishing the aforementioned support implementation area means This includes setting, as at least a part of the support execution area, an area on the side of the first obstacle opposite to the vehicle's driving lane in a direction perpendicular to the straight-ahead direction of travel. A driving assistance device characterized by the following features.

6. A driver assistance method performed by an in-vehicle computer, Detecting moving objects in front of the vehicle, To detect a first obstacle located in front of the moving body that obstructs the movement of the moving body in the straight-line direction, To determine whether there is a second obstacle that, through cooperative action with the first obstacle, forces the moving body to move toward the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the straight-ahead direction, This includes, if the second obstacle is present, making it easier to perform steering assistance to avoid the moving object than if the second obstacle is not present, Making the aforementioned steering assistance easier to implement is The steering assistance is provided when the moving body is located in the support execution area that extends toward the moving body with respect to the first obstacle in the straight-ahead direction. This includes, if the second obstacle is present, expanding the support execution area compared to when the second obstacle is not present. A driving assistance method characterized by the following features.

7. Detecting moving objects in front of the vehicle, To detect a first obstacle located in front of the moving body that obstructs the movement of the moving body in the straight-line direction, To determine whether there is a second obstacle that, through cooperative action with the first obstacle, forces the moving body to move toward the vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the straight-ahead direction, The system is configured to cause the onboard computer to perform the following actions: if the second obstacle is present, steering assistance to avoid the moving object is more likely to be performed than when the second obstacle is not present. Making the aforementioned steering assistance easier to implement is The steering assistance is provided when the moving body is located in the support execution area that extends toward the moving body with respect to the first obstacle in the straight-ahead direction. This includes, if the second obstacle is present, expanding the support execution area compared to when the second obstacle is not present. A program characterized by the following features.

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