Driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and computer program

Abstract

To effectively notify vehicle occupants about the presence of obstacles when a plurality of obstacles in the surroundings of the vehicle are detected.SOLUTION: A driving assistance device comprises: a first detection unit 14 for detecting a first object present in a prescribed range around a vehicle 1; a second detection unit 15 for detecting a second object that approaches the vehicle from the outside of the prescribed range; and a notification unit 16 for notifying an alarm to vehicle occupants. When the first object is detected by the first detection unit and the second object is detected by the second detection unit, the notification unit notifies a warning against the first object or the second object, whichever is detected at a later timing to the vehicle occupants.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving support device, a driving support method, and a computer program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, it is known to detect obstacles around a vehicle and notify the driver of the vehicle of the presence of the detected obstacles. Regarding this technology, Patent Document 1 describes that when both a nearby object and a distant object are detected around the vehicle, notification for the nearby object is always prioritized.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the degree of danger of a nearby object is not always higher than that of a distant object. Also, if notification for a distant object is always prioritized, the attention of the driver of the vehicle may be directed to the distant object, and there is a risk that the driver may not notice the nearby object.

[0005] Therefore, in view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to effectively notify the driver of the vehicle of the presence of obstacles when a plurality of obstacles are detected around the vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The gist of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0007] (1) A driving assistance device comprising: a first detection unit for detecting a first object present within a predetermined range around a vehicle; a second detection unit for detecting a second object approaching the vehicle from outside the predetermined range; and a notification unit for notifying the occupant of the vehicle of a warning, wherein the notification unit notifies the occupant of a warning regarding the first object and the second object, whichever of the first and second objects was detected at the later timing, when the first object is detected by the first detection unit and the second object is detected by the second detection unit.

[0008] (2) The driving assistance device according to (1) above, wherein, when the first object and the second object are detected at the same time, the notification unit notifies the occupant of a warning regarding the first object if the distance from the vehicle to the first object is less than a predetermined first threshold, and notifies the occupant of a warning regarding the second object if the distance is equal to or greater than the first threshold.

[0009] (3) The driving assistance device according to (1) or (2) above, wherein the notification unit notifies the occupant of a warning regarding the second object when the first object is detected by the first detection unit and the second object is detected by the second detection unit, and the distance from the vehicle to the first object is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold, or when the distance is maintained or increases, and when the distance is less than the second threshold, or when the distance decreases, the notification unit notifies the occupant of a warning regarding an object detected at a later time.

[0010] (4) A driving assistance method performed by a computer, comprising: detecting a first object located within a predetermined range around a vehicle; detecting a second object approaching the vehicle from outside the predetermined range; and, if the first object and the second object are detected, notifying the occupant of the vehicle of a warning regarding the object detected later among the first object and the second object.

[0011] (5) A computer program that causes a computer to perform the following actions: to detect a first object that is within a predetermined range around a vehicle; to detect a second object that is approaching the vehicle from outside the predetermined range; and, if the first object and the second object are detected, to notify the occupants of the vehicle of a warning regarding the object that was detected at a later time among the first object and the second object. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, when multiple obstacles are detected around a vehicle, the presence of obstacles can be effectively notified to the vehicle's occupants. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This diagram schematically shows a part of the configuration of a vehicle equipped with a driver assistance device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the side view of the vehicle. [Figure 3] This figure shows the first scenario, where multiple obstacles are present around the vehicle. [Figure 4] This figure shows a second scenario where multiple obstacles are present around the vehicle. [Figure 5A] This is a flowchart showing the control routine for warning processing in the first embodiment. [Figure 5B] This is a flowchart showing the control routine for warning processing in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart showing the control routine for warning processing in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, similar components will be given the same reference numerals.

[0015] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5B. FIG. 1 schematically shows a part of the configuration of a vehicle 1 provided with a driving support device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 (host vehicle) includes a first detection sensor 2, a second detection sensor 3, a shift position sensor 4, a display 5, a speaker 6, a buzzer 7, and an electronic control unit (ECU) 10. The first detection sensor 2, the second detection sensor 3, the shift position sensor 4, the display 5, the speaker 6, and the buzzer 7 are electrically connected to the ECU 10 via an in-vehicle network conforming to a standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0017] The first detection sensor 2 acquires data for detecting obstacles around the vehicle 1. The output of the first detection sensor 2, that is, the data acquired by the first detection sensor 2 is transmitted to the ECU 10.

[0018] The second detection sensor 3 is a different type of sensor from the first detection sensor 2 and acquires data for detecting obstacles around the vehicle 1. The output of the second detection sensor 3, that is, the data acquired by the second detection sensor 3 is transmitted to the ECU 10.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a view showing a side portion of the vehicle 1. In the present embodiment, the first detection sensor 2 is provided at the front of the vehicle 1 and acquires data for detecting obstacles in front of the vehicle 1. The first detection sensor 2 is configured as, for example, a sonar (ultrasonic sensor). The sonar transmits ultrasonic waves in front of the vehicle 1 and receives the reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves. That is, the first detection sensor 2 configured as a sonar acquires the reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves as data for detecting obstacles in front of the vehicle 1. For example, the first detection sensor 2 includes a first sonar provided at the right front corner of the vehicle 1 and a second sonar provided at the right rear corner of the vehicle 1.

[0020] In addition, in the present embodiment, the second detection sensor 3 is provided at the rear part of the vehicle 1 and acquires data for detecting an obstacle behind the vehicle 1. The second detection sensor 3 is configured as, for example, a camera. The camera captures the rear of the vehicle 1 and generates an image of the rear of the vehicle 1. That is, the second detection sensor 3 configured as a camera acquires an image of the rear of the vehicle 1 as data for detecting an obstacle behind the vehicle 1. For example, the second detection sensor 3 includes a center camera provided near the center of the vehicle 1 at the rear part of the vehicle 1.

[0021] The shift position sensor 4 is provided on the shift lever of the vehicle 1 operated by the driver of the vehicle 1 and detects the shift position of the vehicle 1. The shift positions include a D (Drive) range, an R (Reverse) range, a P (Parking) range, an N (Neutral) range, and the like. The output of the shift position sensor 4, that is, the shift position detected by the shift position sensor 4 is transmitted to the ECU 10.

[0022] The display 5 is provided in the vehicle interior so as to be visible to the occupant (e.g., the driver) of the vehicle 1 and displays information to the occupant of the vehicle 1. The display 5 is configured as, for example, an instrument panel, a head-up display (HUD), or the like. Note that the display 5 may be integrated with a navigation device provided in the vehicle 1. The ECU 10 presents visual information to the occupant of the vehicle 1 via the display 5.

[0023] The speaker 6 is provided in the vehicle interior and outputs sound to the occupant of the vehicle 1. The ECU 10 presents audio information to the occupant of the vehicle 1 via the speaker 6.

[0024] The buzzer 7 is provided in the vehicle interior and emits a buzzer sound to the occupant of the vehicle 1. The ECU 10 notifies the occupant of the vehicle 1 of the buzzer sound via the buzzer 7.

[0025] The ECU 10 performs various controls on the vehicle 1. As shown in Figure 1, the ECU 10 includes a communication interface 11, a memory 12, and a processor 13. The communication interface 11 and the memory 12 are connected to the processor 13 via signal lines. In this embodiment, one ECU 10 is provided, but multiple ECUs may be provided for each function.

[0026] The communication interface 11 has an interface circuit for connecting the ECU 10 to the in-vehicle network. The ECU 10 is connected to other in-vehicle equipment via the communication interface 11.

[0027] Memory 12 includes, for example, volatile semiconductor memory and non-volatile semiconductor memory. Memory 12 stores computer programs, data, etc., that are used when various processes are executed by the processor 13.

[0028] The processor 13 has one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units) and their peripheral circuits. The processor 13 may also have other arithmetic circuits such as a logic unit, a numerical unit, or a graphics processing unit.

[0029] In this embodiment, the ECU 10 functions as a driver assistance device that assists in driving the vehicle 1. In particular, in this embodiment, when the vehicle 1 is moving in reverse, the ECU 10 notifies the occupants of the vehicle 1 of obstacles around the vehicle 1.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the processor 13 of the ECU 10 has a first detection unit 14, a second detection unit 15, and a notification unit 16. The first detection unit 14, the second detection unit 15, and the notification unit 16 are functional modules that are realized by the processor 13 of the ECU 10 executing a computer program stored in the memory 12 of the ECU 10. These functional modules may each be realized by a dedicated arithmetic circuit provided in the processor 13.

[0031] The first detection unit 14 detects a first object that exists within a predetermined range around the vehicle 1 based on the output of the first detection sensor 2. In this embodiment, the first detection unit 14 detects a first object that exists within a first range in front of the vehicle 1. The first range corresponds to the range detectable by the first detection sensor 2. When the first detection unit 14 is configured as a sonar, the first detection unit 14 determines that a first object exists when reflected waves from the first object are detected by the first detection sensor 2. The first object is an object detected by the first detection unit 14, and is, for example, a stationary object (e.g., a parked vehicle, a wall, a guardrail, a curb, etc.).

[0032] The second detection unit 15 detects a second object (hereinafter simply referred to as "the second object") approaching the vehicle 1 from outside the predetermined distance, based on the output of the second detection sensor 3. In this embodiment, the second detection unit 15 detects the second object located in a second range behind the vehicle 1. The second range is different from the first range and corresponds to the range detectable by the second detection sensor 3. When the second detection unit 15 is configured as a camera, the second detection unit 15 detects the second object by extracting it from the image generated by the second detection sensor 3 using an image analysis method such as background subtraction, interframe subtraction, or a machine learning model. The second object is an object detected by the second detection unit 15, and is, for example, a moving object (e.g., a pedestrian, a moving vehicle, etc.).

[0033] The notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of the vehicle 1 (e.g., the driver) of a warning via an output device such as a display 5, speaker 6, or buzzer 7. The display 5, speaker 6, and buzzer 7 are examples of output devices provided in the vehicle 1.

[0034] In this embodiment, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning when vehicle 1 is moving in reverse, that is, when the shift position of vehicle 1 is in the R range, according to the obstacle detection results of the first detection unit 14 and the second detection unit 15. For example, if a first object is detected by the first detection unit 14, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the first object. On the other hand, if a second object is detected by the second detection unit 15, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the second object. This allows the occupants of vehicle 1 to direct their attention to obstacles around vehicle 1 when vehicle 1 is moving in reverse, thereby increasing the safety of vehicle 1.

[0035] However, situations may arise where both the first object and the second object are detected. In this case, in order to avoid overlooking obstacles around vehicle 1 without confusing the occupants of vehicle 1, it is necessary to notify the occupants of vehicle 1 of the presence of obstacles with appropriate priority. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the first object is detected by the first detection unit 14 and the second object is detected by the second detection unit 15, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding either the first object or the second object, based on the timing of the detection of the first object and the timing of the detection of the second object.

[0036] Specifically, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the object detected later, when a first object is detected by the first detection unit 14 and a second object is detected by the second detection unit 15. This allows the occupants of vehicle 1 to focus their attention on the newly detected obstacle. Therefore, according to this embodiment, when multiple obstacles are detected around vehicle 1, the presence of obstacles can be effectively notified to the occupants of vehicle 1.

[0037] Figure 3 shows a first scenario in which multiple obstacles are present around vehicle 1. Figure 3 shows the range detectable by the first detection sensor 2 (two fan-shaped areas in front of vehicle 1). In the first scenario, the right-hand vehicle RV, located to the right of vehicle 1, is detected first as the first object, and a warning regarding the right-hand vehicle RV is sent to the occupants of vehicle 1. Subsequently, as vehicle 1 reverses, a person moves behind vehicle 1, and while the right-hand vehicle RV is detected as the first object, the person is detected as the second object. As a result, a warning regarding the newly detected person is sent to the occupants of vehicle 1. Therefore, the attention of the occupants of vehicle 1 can be shifted from the right-hand vehicle RV to the person, reducing the risk of vehicle 1 colliding with the person.

[0038] Figure 4 shows a second scenario in which multiple obstacles are present around vehicle 1. Figure 4 shows the range detectable by the first detection sensor 2 (two fan-shaped areas in front of vehicle 1). In the second scenario, first, a person located behind vehicle 1 is detected as a second object, and a warning to the person is sent to the occupant of vehicle 1. Subsequently, as vehicle 1 reverses, the right front end of vehicle 1 approaches the right-hand vehicle RV located to the right of vehicle 1, and while the person is detected as a second object, the right-hand vehicle RV is detected as a first object. As a result, a warning to the newly detected right-hand vehicle RV is sent to the occupant of vehicle 1. Therefore, the attention of the occupant of vehicle 1 can be shifted from the person to the right-hand vehicle RV, reducing the risk of vehicle 1 colliding with the right-hand vehicle RV.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the first object and the second object are detected at the same time, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupant of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the first object if the distance from vehicle 1 to the first object is less than a predetermined first threshold, and notifies the occupant of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the second object if the distance from vehicle 1 to the first object is equal to or greater than the first threshold. This allows the occupant of vehicle 1 to focus their attention on the obstacle with a higher degree of danger.

[0040] The control process flow described above will now be explained with reference to Figures 5A and 5B. Figures 5A and 5B are flowcharts of the control routine for warning processing in the first embodiment. This control routine is repeatedly executed at predetermined execution intervals by the processor 13 of the ECU 10 while the ignition switch of the vehicle 1 is turned on.

[0041] First, in step S101, the notification unit 16 of the processor 13 determines whether the shift position of vehicle 1 is in the R range, that is, whether vehicle 1 is moving in reverse. If the output of the shift position sensor 4 indicates the R range, the notification unit 16 determines that the shift position is in the R range. If it is determined that the shift position is not in the R range, this control routine terminates. On the other hand, if it is determined that the shift position is in the R range, this control routine proceeds to step S102.

[0042] In step S102, the notification unit 16 determines whether the first object has been detected by the first detection unit 14 and the second object has been detected by the second detection unit 15. If it is determined that both the first and second objects have been detected, the control routine proceeds to step S103.

[0043] In step S103, the notification unit 16 determines whether the first object and the second object were detected at the same time. If it is determined that the first object and the second object were detected at different times, the control routine proceeds to step S104.

[0044] In step S104, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of the first and second objects, the object detected at the later timing. Specifically, if the second object is detected after the first object, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the second object, and if the first object is detected after the second object, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the first object.

[0045] For example, the notification unit 16 provides a visual warning to the occupants of vehicle 1 by displaying an image or text on the display 5 indicating the presence of the object to be warned about. Alternatively, the notification unit 16 may provide an auditory warning to the occupants of vehicle 1 by emitting a buzzer sound from the buzzer 7 to indicate the presence of the object to be warned about. The notification unit 16 may also provide an auditory warning to the occupants of vehicle 1 by outputting an audio message from the speaker 6 to indicate the presence of the object to be warned about. Furthermore, the above warnings may be used in combination. After step S104, this control routine terminates.

[0046] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S103 that the first object and the second object were detected at the same time, the control routine proceeds to step S105. In step S105, the notification unit 16 determines whether the distance from vehicle 1 to the first object is greater than or equal to a first threshold. The distance from vehicle 1 to the first object is calculated, for example, based on the output of the first detection sensor 2. The first threshold is predetermined and set to a distance shorter than the distance that the first detection sensor 2 can detect.

[0047] If it is determined in step S105 that the distance to the first object is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the control routine proceeds to step S106. In step S106, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the second object. After step S106, the control routine terminates.

[0048] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S105 that the distance to the first object is less than the first threshold, the control routine proceeds to step S107. In step S107, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the first object. If a buzzer sound is used as both the warning for the first object and the warning for the second object, the buzzer sound for the first object and the buzzer sound for the second object have different notification characteristics (for example, sound frequency, sound volume, or sound interval). After step S107, the control routine terminates.

[0049] Furthermore, even if the first object and the second object are detected at the same time, if another first or second object is detected thereafter (i.e., multiple first or second objects are detected), the determination in step S103 is negated, and a warning for the newly detected object is issued in step S104. Also, even if the second object is detected after the first object has been detected, if another first object is detected thereafter (i.e., multiple first objects are detected), a warning for the newly detected first object is issued in step S104.

[0050] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S102 that at least one of the first object and the second object is not detected, the control routine proceeds to step S108 in Figure 5B. In step S108, the notification unit 16 determines whether or not the first object has been detected by the first detection unit 14. If it is determined that the first object has been detected, the control routine proceeds to step S109.

[0051] In step S109, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the first object. After step S109, this control routine terminates.

[0052] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S108 that the first object has not been detected, the control routine proceeds to step S110. In step S110, the notification unit 16 determines whether or not the second object has been detected by the second detection unit 15. If it is determined that the second object has not been detected, the control routine terminates. On the other hand, if it is determined that the second object has been detected, the control routine proceeds to step S111.

[0053] In step S111, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the second object. After step S111, this control routine terminates.

[0054] <Second Embodiment> The driver assistance system according to the second embodiment is basically the same as the driver assistance system according to the first embodiment in terms of configuration and control, except for the points described below. For this reason, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below, focusing on the parts that differ from the first embodiment.

[0055] Even if a first object is detected, if the first object is sufficiently far from vehicle 1, there is little need to notify the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning about the first object. For this reason, in the second embodiment, when a first object is detected by the first detection unit 14 and a second object is detected by the second detection unit 15, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning about the second object if the distance from vehicle 1 to the first object is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold, and notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning about an object detected at a later time if the distance from vehicle 1 to the first object is less than the second threshold. This makes it possible to notify the occupants of vehicle 1 of warnings about obstacles around vehicle 1 with a more appropriate priority.

[0056] Furthermore, if the first and second objects are detected at the same time, even if a warning is issued for the first object which is closer to vehicle 1, the danger level of the second object may increase afterward, potentially raising the priority of the warning for the second object. For this reason, in the second embodiment, if the first and second objects are detected at the same time and the notification unit 16 is notifying the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning for the first object, and the danger level of the second object rises above a predetermined value, the notification unit 16 changes the target of the warning from the first object to the second object and notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning for the second object. This makes it possible to notify the occupants of vehicle 1 of an appropriate warning that takes into account the time-dependent changes in the danger level of obstacles around vehicle 1.

[0057] The following describes the control process flow described above with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a flowchart of the control routine for warning processing in the second embodiment. This control routine is repeatedly executed at predetermined execution intervals by the processor 13 of the ECU 10 while the ignition switch of the vehicle 1 is turned on.

[0058] Steps S201 to S203 are executed in the same way as steps S101 to S103 in Figure 5A. If it is determined in step S203 that the first object and the second object were detected at different times, the control routine proceeds to step S204.

[0059] In step S204, the notification unit 16 determines whether the distance from vehicle 1 to the first object is greater than or equal to the second threshold. The distance from vehicle 1 to the first object is calculated, for example, based on the output of the first detection sensor 2. The second threshold is predetermined and set to a distance shorter than the distance that the first detection sensor 2 can detect. Note that the second threshold may be set to the same value as the first threshold in step S206, which will be described later.

[0060] If it is determined in step S204 that the distance to the first object is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the control routine proceeds to step S207. In step S207, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the second object. After step S207, the control routine terminates.

[0061] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S204 that the distance to the second object is less than the second threshold, the control routine proceeds to step S205. In step S205, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of the first and second objects, the object detected at the later timing. After step S205, the control routine terminates.

[0062] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S203 that the first object and the second object were detected at the same time, the control routine proceeds to step S206. In step S206, similar to step S105 in Figure 5A, the notification unit 16 determines whether the distance from the vehicle 1 to the first object is greater than or equal to the first threshold.

[0063] If it is determined in step S206 that the distance to the first object is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the control routine proceeds to step S207. In step S207, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the second object. After step S207, the control routine terminates.

[0064] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S206 that the distance to the first object is less than the first threshold, the control routine proceeds to step S208. In step S208, the notification unit 16 determines whether the danger level of the second object has risen to a predetermined value or higher. The danger level of the second object is calculated based on, for example, the distance from the vehicle 1 to the second object, the time to collision (TTC) for the second object, etc.

[0065] If it is determined in step S208 that the danger level of the second object has risen to a predetermined value or higher, the control routine proceeds to step S207. In step S207, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the second object. After step S207, the control routine terminates.

[0066] On the other hand, if the danger level of the second object is determined to be less than a predetermined value in step S208, the control routine proceeds to step S209. In step S209, the notification unit 16 notifies the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the first object. After step S209, the control routine terminates.

[0067] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S202 that at least one of the first object and the second object is not detected, steps S108 to S111 in Figure 5B are executed, similar to the first embodiment. Note that either step S204 or step S208 may be omitted.

[0068] Furthermore, if the first object is detected by the first detection unit 14 and the second object is detected by the second detection unit 15, the notification unit 16 may notify the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding the second object if the distance from vehicle 1 to the first object is maintained or increases, and may notify the occupants of vehicle 1 of a warning regarding an object detected at a later time if the distance from vehicle 1 to the first object decreases. This also allows the occupants of vehicle 1 to be notified of warnings regarding obstacles around vehicle 1 with a more appropriate priority. In this case, in step S204, the notification unit 16 determines whether the distance from vehicle 1 to the first object has decreased or not, and if this determination is affirmative, step S205 is executed, and if this determination is negative, step S207 is executed.

[0069] <Other Embodiments> Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims.

[0070] For example, the second detection sensor 3 may be configured as a radar. The radar transmits radio waves around the vehicle 1 and receives the reflected radio waves. That is, the second detection sensor 3 configured as a radar acquires the reflected radio waves as data for detecting obstacles behind the vehicle 1.

[0071] Furthermore, the first detection sensor 2 may be installed at the rear of the vehicle 1 to detect obstacles behind the vehicle 1. Alternatively, the first detection sensor 2 and the second detection sensor 3 may be installed at the front of the vehicle 1 to detect obstacles in front of the vehicle 1, and when the vehicle 1 is moving forward, the warning target may be selected from the first object and the second object by the control described above.

[0072] Furthermore, if the first object and the second object are detected at the same time, the notification unit 16 may notify the occupants of the vehicle 1 of warnings regarding the first object and the second object. In this case, for example, the warning for the first object and the warning for the second object may be notified in different forms (visual warning, buzzer sound, voice, etc.). Alternatively, the warning for the first object and the warning for the second object may be emitted from two speakers 6 located at different positions in the vehicle 1 (for example, to the left and right of the driver).

[0073] Furthermore, Vehicle 1 may be a vehicle capable of Level 1 or Level 2 autonomous driving. For example, when the operation of Vehicle 1 (at least a portion of acceleration, braking, and steering) is performed automatically and the occupants of Vehicle 1 are required to monitor their surroundings, the above-described control may notify the occupants of Vehicle 1 of a warning. Alternatively, Vehicle 1 may be a vehicle capable of Level 3 autonomous driving in a pre-defined Operational Design Domain (ODD) in which the driver is not required to monitor their surroundings. In this case, when Level 3 autonomous driving is not being performed in Vehicle 1, the above-described control will notify the occupants of Vehicle 1 of a warning. Note that the autonomous driving levels in this specification are based on the definitions in SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) J3016.

[0074] Furthermore, the computer program that enables the computer to implement the functions of each part of the processor 13 of the ECU 10 may be provided in the form of a recording medium that can be read by the computer. The recording medium that can be read by the computer may be, for example, a magnetic recording medium, an optical recording medium, or a semiconductor memory. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0075] 1 vehicle 10. Electronic Control Unit (ECU) 13 processors 14. First detection unit 15. Second detection unit 16 Notification Department

Claims

1. A first detection unit that detects a first object that exists within a predetermined range around the vehicle, A second detection unit that detects a second object approaching the vehicle from outside the predetermined range, A notification unit that notifies the occupants of the vehicle of a warning. Equipped with, The notification unit is a driver assistance device that, when the first object is detected by the first detection unit and the second object is detected by the second detection unit, notifies the occupant of a warning regarding the second object when the distance from the vehicle to the first object is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold, or when the distance is maintained or increases, and notifies the occupant of a warning regarding the first object and the second object whichever was detected at a later time, when the distance is less than the second threshold or when the distance is decreasing.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein, when the first object and the second object are detected at the same time, the notification unit notifies the occupant of a warning regarding the first object if the distance from the vehicle to the first object is less than a predetermined first threshold, and notifies the occupant of a warning regarding the second object if the distance is equal to or greater than the first threshold.

3. A driving assistance method performed by a computer, To detect a first object that is within a predetermined range around the vehicle, To detect a second object approaching the vehicle from outside the predetermined range, When the first object and the second object are detected, if the distance from the vehicle to the first object is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold, or if the distance is maintained or increases, a warning regarding the second object is notified to the occupant of the vehicle; if the distance is less than the second threshold, or if the distance decreases, a warning is notified to the occupant regarding the first object and the second object that was detected at a later time. Driving assistance methods, including those mentioned above.

4. To detect a first object that is within a predetermined range around the vehicle, To detect a second object approaching the vehicle from outside the predetermined range, When the first object and the second object are detected, if the distance from the vehicle to the first object is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold, or if the distance is maintained or increases, a warning regarding the second object is notified to the occupant of the vehicle; if the distance is less than the second threshold, or if the distance decreases, a warning is notified to the occupant regarding the first object and the second object that was detected at a later time. A computer program that causes a computer to execute something.

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