Driving control method

Abstract

To provide a technology that reduces a driver's discomfort regarding the inter-vehicle distance between stopped vehicles by preventing the own vehicle from getting excessively close to a preceding vehicle when executing control to move the own vehicle forward in response to the start of a lead vehicle which is a vehicle in front of the preceding vehicle.SOLUTION: A travel control method includes a step to stop an own vehicle in response to the stop of a preceding vehicle, and a step to move the own vehicle forward in response to the start of a lead vehicle which is a vehicle in front of the preceding vehicle, while follow-up control is being executed to allow the own vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle. In the step to stop the own vehicle, the method allows the own vehicle to stop so that a distance from the preceding vehicle becomes a first inter-vehicle distance when there is no leading vehicle in front of the preceding vehicle. When there is a lead vehicle in front of the preceding vehicle, the own vehicle is stopped so that the distance from the preceding vehicle becomes a second inter-vehicle distance, which is longer than the first inter-vehicle distance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for executing control to follow a preceding vehicle in the traveling direction of a host vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a following travel control device that executes following travel control with respect to a preceding vehicle followed by a host vehicle. This following travel control device determines a vehicle ahead that travels further ahead of the preceding vehicle, and when the start of the vehicle ahead is detected during the stop control of the host vehicle, and within a predetermined time after detecting the start of the vehicle ahead, when a driving operation that requires the driver to start by pressing a start / stop switch is detected, the control state of the host vehicle is changed from stop control to following control.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technique described in Patent Document 1, when starting the host vehicle in accordance with the start of the vehicle ahead, if the preceding vehicle does not start even though the vehicle ahead starts, there is a risk that the host vehicle may approach the preceding vehicle too closely. Further, if the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle is always made too long, there is a risk of giving the driver a sense of discomfort.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for suppressing the host vehicle from approaching the preceding vehicle too closely and reducing the driver's sense of discomfort with respect to the stop inter-vehicle distance when executing control to start the host vehicle in response to the start of the vehicle ahead.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a driving control method in which each step is performed in the driving control device of the vehicle itself, and includes the steps of: detecting the presence of a preceding vehicle and a vehicle two vehicles ahead of the vehicle located in the direction of travel of the vehicle itself; calculating the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and, when performing follow control to follow the preceding vehicle, stopping the vehicle in response to the stopping of the preceding vehicle and starting the vehicle in response to the starting of the vehicle two vehicles ahead. In the step of stopping the vehicle itself, if there is no vehicle two vehicles ahead, the vehicle is stopped so that the distance to the preceding vehicle is a first distance, and if there is a vehicle two vehicles ahead, the vehicle is stopped at a second distance, which is longer than the first distance, than when there is no vehicle ahead. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, when a control system is implemented to start the vehicle in response to the start of the vehicle two vehicles ahead, it is possible to suppress getting too close to the preceding vehicle and reduce the driver's feeling of discomfort regarding the distance between stopped vehicles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating the operation of the driving control system in the embodiment. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the functional configuration of the driving control system. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart showing the vehicle stopping in the driving control method of the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the driving control system of the embodiment. The vehicle 10 is equipped with a driving control system 18, which performs autonomous driving control.

[0010] The driving control system 18 performs follow control, which follows the preceding vehicle 12, and cruise control, which drives in a driving lane at a predetermined speed, in the context of automated driving control. In Figure 1, the driving control system 18 is performing follow control, which follows the preceding vehicle 12.

[0011] In Figure 1(a), the driving control system 18 stops its own vehicle 10 at a predetermined first following distance D1 because the preceding vehicle 12 has stopped. The following distance refers to the distance between the preceding vehicle 12 and the own vehicle 10. In Figure 1(a), there is no vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 in front of the preceding vehicle 12.

[0012] In Figure 1(b), a preceding vehicle 12 and a vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 are present in the direction of travel of the vehicle 10. When the preceding vehicle 12 stops, the driving control system 18 stops the vehicle 10 at a predetermined second following distance D2. The second following distance D2 is longer than the first following distance D1. In other words, when a vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 is present, the driving control system 18 stops the vehicle 10 at a second following distance D2, which is longer than the first following distance D1.

[0013] In Figure 1(c), the driving control system 18 starts its own vehicle 10 when the preceding vehicle 14 starts moving. This allows the own vehicle 10 to start earlier than if it were to start only after detecting that the preceding vehicle 12 has started moving. Therefore, the driver is less likely to feel that the start is delayed when follow control is being performed. In addition, because the vehicle is stopped at a second distance that is longer than the first distance, the own vehicle 10 is prevented from getting too close to the preceding vehicle 12.

[0014] In Figure 1(d), if the vehicle ahead 14 starts moving but the vehicle preceding 12 is delayed in starting, there is a possibility that the vehicle 10 will get too close to the vehicle preceding 12. Therefore, when the vehicle 10 starts moving in response to the vehicle ahead 14, the driving control system 18 stops the vehicle 10 when the distance between the vehicle 10 and the vehicle preceding 12 becomes less than or equal to the first distance D1, and stops at a predetermined third distance D3. The driving control system 18 ensures that the third distance D3 is shorter than the first distance D1. This prevents the vehicle 10 from getting too close to the vehicle preceding 12.

[0015] Figure 2 shows the functional configuration of the driving control system 18. The driving control system 18 includes a driving control device 20, an object detection sensor 22, an on-board sensor 24, and a driving device 26.

[0016] The object detection sensor 22 includes an in-vehicle camera, millimeter-wave radar, optical radar, and acoustic wave sensor, and detects objects located around the vehicle. The object detection sensor 22 may transmit information indicating the positional relationship between the object and the vehicle as object-related information to the driving control device 20, or it may transmit simple sensor values ​​as object-related information to the driving control device 20. Objects include, in particular, the preceding vehicle 12 and the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 located in the direction of travel of the vehicle 10.

[0017] The on-board sensor 24 includes an input unit that receives driver input and a driving state detection sensor that detects the vehicle's driving state. The input unit may be at least one of a touchpad, a mechanical switch, and a microphone. The input unit receives the on / off status of the automatic driving control and destination information for the automatic driving control. The driver inputs the on / off status of the follow control to the input unit and inputs the resume setting, vehicle speed setting, distance mode setting, etc., during follow control. The driving state detection sensor includes a vehicle speed sensor, steering angle sensor, acceleration sensor, brake pressure sensor, etc., and transmits the results of detecting the vehicle's driving state to the driving control device 20.

[0018] The running gear 26 includes a driving means for applying driving force to the wheels and rotating the wheels to move the vehicle forward, a steering means for turning the wheels, and a braking means for applying braking force to the wheels. The driving means may be an engine, a motor, or a combination thereof. The running gear 26 may be driven by the driver's operation or by automatic driving control.

[0019] The travel control device 20 includes an acquisition unit 30, a recognition processing unit 32, a vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculation unit 34, a progress detection unit 36, a travel processing unit 38, and a control unit 40. The acquisition unit 30 acquires the detection results of the object detection sensor 22 and the travel state detection sensor, and acquires the operation results of the driver from the input unit. The acquisition unit 30 acquires information regarding the object detected by the object detection sensor.

[0020] The recognition processing unit 32 recognizes the type of the object based on the detection result of the object detection sensor 22. The recognition processing unit 32 analyzes the captured image of the in-vehicle camera to identify the type of the object. The recognition processing unit 32 may identify the type of the object from the captured image using a neural network method, for example, a deep learning method.

[0021] The recognition processing unit 32 determines whether the preceding vehicle 12 and the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14 are located in the traveling direction of the host vehicle 10 based on the detection result of the object detection sensor 22. When the preceding vehicle 12 is located in a predetermined area in the traveling direction of the host vehicle 10, it is determined that the preceding vehicle 12 is located in the traveling direction of the host vehicle 10. Further, when the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14 is in front of the preceding vehicle 12 and exists within a predetermined distance from the host vehicle 10 or the preceding vehicle 12, it is determined that the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14 is located in the traveling direction of the host vehicle 10. The recognition processing unit 32 tracks the preceding vehicle 12 and the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14 and calculates their position information.

[0022] The vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculation unit 34 calculates the vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the host vehicle 10 and the preceding vehicle 12 based on the processing result of the recognition processing unit 32. The vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculation unit 34 calculates the vehicle-to-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle 12 based on the position information of the preceding vehicle 12 recognized by the recognition processing unit 32.

[0023] The progress detection unit 36 calculates the relative speed between the host vehicle 10 and the preceding vehicle 12 based on the recognition result of the recognition processing unit 32, and detects the progress state indicating whether the preceding vehicle 12 and the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14 are moving or stopped. The progress detection unit 36 detects the progress state of the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14 in the same manner as the preceding vehicle 12. By detecting the progress states of the preceding vehicle 12 and the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14, it is detected whether the preceding vehicle 12 and the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14 have started moving, that is, the timing of starting is detected.

[0024] The running processing unit 38 executes follow-up control upon receiving an instruction to start executing follow-up control from the in-vehicle sensor 24, and starts or ends follow-up control according to the instruction of the in-vehicle sensor 24. The recognition processing unit 32 automatically runs the host vehicle 10 based on the detection results of the object detection sensor 22 and the running state detection sensor, and runs so as to follow the preceding vehicle 12.

[0025] The running processing unit 执行38 executes follow-up control using a control map. The control map shows the relationship between the vehicle speed of the preceding vehicle 12, the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle 12 and the host vehicle 10, and the target acceleration of the host vehicle 10.

[0026] The running processing unit 38 generates a command value for controlling the running device 16 based on the detection result of the sensor and the control map, and the control unit 40 controls the running device 26 according to the command value received from the running processing unit 38. Thereby, the running control device 20 can autonomously run the host vehicle 10 so as to follow the preceding vehicle 12. When there is no preceding vehicle 12, the running processing unit 38 may run the vehicle while maintaining the vehicle within the lane at a preset vehicle speed.

[0027] When the preceding vehicle 12 is stopped during follow-up control, the running processing unit 38 starts the host vehicle 10 in response to the start of the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14. That is, the running processing unit 38 starts the host vehicle 10 triggered by the start of the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle / 4. Until the vehicle ahead of the preceding vehicle 14 starts and the preceding vehicle 12 starts, the running processing unit 38 runs the host vehicle 10 at a predetermined low vehicle speed. The predetermined low vehicle speed may be set to 10 kilometers per hour or less.

[0028] When the driving processing unit 38 determines that there is no vehicle ahead of it 14 and the preceding vehicle 12 has stopped, it stops the vehicle 10 so that the distance between the vehicle 10 and the preceding vehicle 12 becomes a predetermined first inter-vehicle distance D1.

[0029] The driving processing unit 38 determines that there is a vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 and, when the preceding vehicle 12 stops, stops the vehicle 10 so that the distance between the vehicle 10 and the preceding vehicle 12 becomes a predetermined second following distance D2. The second following distance D2 is longer than the first following distance D1. When there is a vehicle two vehicles ahead 14, the driving processing unit 38 stops the vehicle 10 at a second following distance D2 that is longer than when there is no vehicle two vehicles ahead 14. This prevents the vehicle 10 from getting too close to the preceding vehicle 12 when it starts moving in response to the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 starting. Also, if the vehicle 10 always stops at a second following distance D2 that is long, the driver may feel uncomfortable with that following distance.

[0030] The driving processing unit 38 drives its own vehicle 10 at a predetermined low speed in response to the departure of the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14, and when the distance between its own vehicle 10 and the preceding vehicle 12 becomes less than or equal to the first inter-vehicle distance D1, it gradually decelerates its own vehicle 10 and stops it at the third inter-vehicle distance D3. The third inter-vehicle distance D3 is shorter than the first inter-vehicle distance D1. Alternatively, the driving processing unit 38 may also drive its own vehicle 10 at a predetermined low speed in response to the departure of the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14, and when the distance between its own vehicle 10 and the preceding vehicle 12 becomes less than or equal to the third inter-vehicle distance D3, it may decelerate its own vehicle 10 and stop it. This prevents the own vehicle 10 from getting too close to the preceding vehicle 12.

[0031] Figure 3 is a flowchart of the vehicle 10 when it stops in the driving control method of the embodiment. The driving processing unit 38 determines whether follow control is on (S10), and if follow control is not on (N in S10), it terminates the follow control process.

[0032] If follow control is turned on (Y in S10), the recognition processing unit 32 performs recognition processing of the preceding vehicle 12 and the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14, the inter-vehicle distance calculation unit 34 calculates the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle 12 and the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14, and the progress detection unit 36 ​​detects the progress of the preceding vehicle 12 and the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 (S12).

[0033] The driving processing unit 38 determines whether the recognition processing unit 32 has determined that the preceding vehicle 12 exists (S14). If it is determined that the preceding vehicle 12 does not exist (N in S14), the follow control process is terminated.

[0034] If it is determined that there is a preceding vehicle 12 (Y in S14), the driving processing unit 38 determines whether the preceding vehicle 12 will stop (S16). If the preceding vehicle 12 does not stop, that is, if the preceding vehicle 12 is moving forward (N in S16), the driving processing unit 38 makes its own vehicle 10 move in order to follow the preceding vehicle 12 (S24).

[0035] If the preceding vehicle 12 stops (Y in S16), the driving processing unit 38 determines whether the recognition processing unit 32 has determined that the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 exists (S18). If the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 exists (Y in S18), the driving processing unit 38 stops its own vehicle 10 at the second following distance D2 (S20). If the vehicle two vehicles ahead 14 does not exist (N in S18), the driving processing unit 38 stops its own vehicle 10 at the first following distance D1 (S22).

[0036] The present disclosure has been explained above based on the examples described. The present disclosure is not limited to the examples described above, and various modifications such as design changes can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0037] 10 Self-vehicle, 12 Preceding vehicle, 14 Vehicle two vehicles ahead, 18 Driving control system, 20 Driving control device, 22 Object detection sensor, 24 On-board sensor, 26 Driving device, 30 Acquisition unit, 32 Recognition processing unit, 34 Inter-vehicle distance calculation unit, 36 Progress detection unit, 38 Driving processing unit, 40 Control unit.

Claims

[Claim 1] A driving control method in which each step is performed in the driving control device of the vehicle, The steps include detecting the presence of a preceding vehicle and a vehicle two vehicles ahead of the vehicle in the direction of travel, The steps include calculating the distance to the vehicle ahead, When performing follow control to follow the preceding vehicle, the vehicle stops in response to the preceding vehicle stopping. This includes the step of starting the vehicle in response to the departure of the vehicle ahead, A driving control method characterized in that, in the step of stopping the vehicle itself, if there is no vehicle ahead, the vehicle is stopped so that the distance to the preceding vehicle is a first interval distance, and if there is a vehicle ahead, the vehicle is stopped at a second interval distance which is longer than the first interval distance than when there is no vehicle ahead.

Images