Driving assistance method and driving assistance device

Abstract

To provide a drive support method and a drive support device which can suitably suppress a sudden acceleration due to a sudden accelerator operation even when azimuth information on a road ahead of an own vehicle cannot be acquired.SOLUTION: A drive support method comprises: performing an arithmetic operation so that an error direction certainty factor, which indicates a high possibility that an own vehicle travels further in a wrong direction as a first target angle formed by an own vehicle's direction and a target vehicle's direction gets larger, becomes large; setting so that a predetermined distance threshold value may get larger as the error direction certainty factor gets larger, and / or setting so that a predetermined accelerator opening threshold value and / or a predetermined rate of change threshold value may get smaller as the error direction certainty factor gets larger; and suppressing acceleration when satisfying at least any one condition that a distance between an own vehicle and a target vehicle is a predetermined distance threshold value or less during accelerator operation, an accelerator opening is a predetermined accelerator opening threshold value or more, and a rate of change of the accelerator opening is a predetermined rate of change threshold value or more.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] When an intersection road is detected ahead of the driving lane based on road map information, an azimuth difference formed by the azimuth of the traveling direction of the host vehicle and the azimuth of the intersection road stored in the road map information is obtained, and as the azimuth difference becomes narrower, the acceleration suppression degree is set higher, and a technique for suppressing the target acceleration of the host vehicle based on the acceleration suppression degree is known (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the technique according to Patent Document 1, when the azimuth information of the road ahead of the host vehicle cannot be obtained, such as in a place where the map is not prepared, a place where sudden acceleration needs to be suppressed is not recognized, so there is a problem that the occurrence of sudden acceleration cannot be appropriately suppressed.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a driving support method and a driving support device that can appropriately suppress sudden acceleration due to a sudden accelerator operation even when the azimuth information of the road ahead of the host vehicle cannot be obtained.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention solves the above problem by recognizing a target vehicle in the direction of travel of the vehicle itself, and suppressing acceleration based on accelerator operation if at least one of the following conditions is met: the distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle when the vehicle's accelerator is operated is less than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold, the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined accelerator opening threshold, and the rate of change of the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined rate of change threshold. The controller calculates the angle between the direction of the vehicle itself and the direction of the target vehicle as the first target angle, calculates the degree of misdirection confidence such that the degree of misdirection confidence, which indicates the high probability that the vehicle is moving in the wrong direction, increases as the first target angle increases, sets a predetermined distance threshold such that the predetermined distance threshold increases as the degree of misdirection confidence increases, and / or sets a predetermined accelerator opening threshold and / or a predetermined rate of change threshold such that the predetermined accelerator opening threshold and / or a predetermined rate of change threshold decrease as the degree of misdirection confidence increases. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, even when it is not possible to obtain road orientation information in front of the vehicle, sudden acceleration caused by sudden accelerator operation can be appropriately suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of a driver assistance system including the driver assistance device of the present invention. [Figure 2A] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the orientation of your vehicle and the orientation of the target vehicle. [Figure 2B] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the orientation of your vehicle and the orientation of the target vehicle. [Figure 2C] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the orientation of your vehicle and the orientation of the target vehicle. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the first angle of target and the confidence level of misdirection. [Figure 4A] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the orientation of the target vehicle and the orientation of surrounding vehicles. [Figure 4B]This figure shows an example of the relationship between the orientation of the target vehicle and the orientation of surrounding vehicles. [Figure 5A] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the direction of the vehicle in question and the direction of the lane boundary line. [Figure 5B] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the direction of the vehicle in question and the direction of the lane boundary line. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the first target angle and the confidence level of incorrect direction for each level of confidence in the correct direction. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the target area and the vehicle's path. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of the relationship between the target area and the vehicle's path. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of a control flow flowchart for the acceleration suppression control performed by the driver assistance device according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following description assumes that vehicles travel on the left side of the road in countries with left-hand traffic regulations. In countries with right-hand traffic regulations, vehicles travel on the right side of the road, so the terms "right" and "left" in the following description should be interpreted symmetrically.

[0010] Figure 1 is a block diagram of the driver assistance system 100 according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the driver assistance system 100 includes an accelerator opening sensor 1, a vehicle speed sensor 2, a steering angle sensor 3, a shift position sensor 4, an external sensor 5, a vehicle position sensor 6, and a driver assistance device 7. The driver assistance device 7 comprises a controller 10 and an accelerator control device 20. The devices included in the driver assistance system 100 are mounted on the vehicle 30, connected by CAN (Controller Area Network) or other in-vehicle LAN, and can exchange information with each other.

[0011] The accelerator opening sensor 1 detects the accelerator opening corresponding to the accelerator operation amount. The accelerator operation amount is the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal by the driver. Also, the accelerator operation amount may be an operation amount based on an accelerator operation by autonomous control. Further, the accelerator opening sensor 1 detects the rate of change of the accelerator opening per unit time as the rate of change of the accelerator opening. The driver performs an accelerator operation by depressing the accelerator pedal. When there is an input of an accelerator operation, the accelerator opening sensor 1 detects the accelerator opening corresponding to the accelerator operation amount.

[0012] The vehicle speed sensor 2 detects the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 30. The steering angle sensor 3 detects the steering angle of the host vehicle 30. The vehicle speed sensor 2 is not particularly limited as long as it can detect the vehicle speed of the host vehicle 30, and a known one can be used. Similarly, the steering angle sensor 3 is not particularly limited as long as it can detect the steering angle of the host vehicle 30. Also, the shift position sensor 4 detects the position of the shift lever.

[0013] The external vehicle sensor 5 is a sensor for detecting objects around the host vehicle 30. The objects include, for example, road lane boundaries, center lines, road markings, median strips, guardrails, curbs, highway side walls, road signs, traffic signals, crosswalks, construction sites, accident sites, and traffic restrictions. Also, the objects include automobiles (other vehicles), motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians other than the host vehicle 30. The objects also include obstacles that may affect the running of the host vehicle 30.

[0014] The external vehicle sensor 5 has an imaging device that recognizes objects around the host vehicle by an image. The imaging device is, for example, a camera equipped with an image pickup element such as a CCD, an ultrasonic camera, an infrared camera, or the like. A plurality of imaging devices can be provided on one vehicle, and can be arranged, for example, in the front grill portion of the vehicle, the lower portions of the left and right door mirrors, and the vicinity of the rear bumper. Thereby, the dead angle when recognizing objects around the host vehicle 30 can be reduced.

[0015] In addition, the external vehicle sensor 5 has a ranging device for calculating the relative distance and relative speed between the vehicle and the object. The ranging device is, for example, a laser radar, a millimeter-wave radar, etc. (such as LRF), a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) unit, a radar device such as an ultrasonic radar, or a sonar. A plurality of ranging devices can be provided on one vehicle, and for example, they can be arranged in front of, on the right side, on the left side, and at the rear of the vehicle. Thereby, the relative distance and relative speed between the host vehicle 30 and the surrounding objects can be accurately calculated.

[0016] The detection result of the external vehicle sensor 5 is acquired by the controller 10 at a predetermined time interval. The detection results of the external vehicle sensor 5 can be integrated or synthesized by the controller 10, thereby complementing the information of the objects lacking in the detection results. For example, the controller 10 can calculate the position information of the object based on the self-position information, which is the position where the host vehicle 30 travels and is acquired by the self-vehicle position sensor 6 described later, and the relative position (distance and direction) between the host vehicle and the object. Alternatively, the position information of the object may be calculated by associating the map information, the self-position based on the odometry, and the relative position (distance and direction) between the host vehicle 30 and the object.

[0017] The self-vehicle position sensor 6 acquires the current position of the host vehicle. The self-vehicle position sensor 6 is a positioning system including a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit, a gyro sensor, an odometry, etc., and is not particularly limited, and known ones can be used. In addition, the self-vehicle position sensor 6 detects the attitude of the host vehicle 30. The self-vehicle position sensor 6 may include two GPSs to calculate the direction of the host vehicle, or may further include a compass to acquire the direction of the host vehicle. In the present embodiment, the driving support device 7 acquires detection information from various sensors at a predetermined cycle.

[0018] The driver assistance device 7 controls the vehicle 30 by controlling and coordinating the devices included in the driver assistance system 100. In particular, in this embodiment, the driver assistance device 7 suppresses the acceleration of the vehicle 30. The driver assistance device 7 achieves driver assistance by suppressing acceleration via the controller 10. Drivers may cause their vehicle to accelerate rapidly by operating the accelerator, but depending on the driving environment around the vehicle, they may accidentally accelerate rapidly in places where acceleration needs to be suppressed, such as when there is an intersecting road ahead in the direction of travel. In this embodiment, such accelerator operation can be determined as an error, and rapid acceleration due to the error can be suppressed. Errors include, for example, sudden accelerator operation that causes rapid acceleration, or accelerator operation due to mistakenly pressing the wrong pedal, that is, pressing the accelerator pedal when intending to press the brake pedal.

[0019] Furthermore, the driver assistance system 100 according to the present invention can be applied not only to manual driving by the driver but also to autonomous driving control. In addition, when the driver assistance system 100 is applied to the autonomous driving control of the vehicle 30, it can be applied not only to autonomous control of both speed control and steering control, but also to cases where one of speed control or steering control is autonomously controlled and the other is manually controlled.

[0020] The controller 10 is an in-vehicle computer such as an electronic control unit (ECU), which electronically controls the in-vehicle equipment that governs the vehicle's operation. The controller 10 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) in which a program is stored, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) which is an operating circuit for functioning as a driver assistance device 7 by executing the program stored in the ROM, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) which functions as an accessible storage device. The controller 10 controls the accelerator control device 20 which performs acceleration control. The controller 10 autonomously controls the operation of the accelerator control device 20 according to the control commands it generates. As a result, the vehicle 30 can autonomously perform acceleration control.

[0021] In this embodiment, the controller 10 recognizes a target vehicle located in the direction of travel of the vehicle 30, and when an accelerator operation is input, it suppresses acceleration based on the accelerator operation when predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are met. The predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are that at least one of the following conditions is met: the distance between the vehicle 30 and the target vehicle at the time of accelerator operation of the vehicle 30 is less than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold; the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined accelerator opening threshold; and the rate of change of the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined rate of change threshold.

[0022] As described later, when the controller 10 cannot obtain road orientation information for the road ahead of the vehicle 30 from maps or sensors, it estimates the road orientation from the orientation of other vehicles located ahead of the vehicle 30. If the area ahead of the vehicle 30 is a place where rapid acceleration needs to be suppressed, the controller 10 determines that an accelerator operation that causes rapid acceleration of the vehicle 30 is a misoperation and suppresses the acceleration of the vehicle 30.

[0023] The controller 10 executes each of the above functions through the cooperation of software and the hardware described above. The controller 10 includes, as functional blocks, a vehicle path acquisition unit 11, a surrounding recognition unit 12, a target angle calculation unit 13, a confidence level calculation unit 14, a threshold setting unit 15, an error detection unit 16, and a control command generation unit 17. In this embodiment, the functions of the controller 10 are divided into seven blocks and the functions of each functional block are explained, but the functions of the controller 10 do not necessarily need to be divided into seven blocks as long as the configuration can realize each function.

[0024] The vehicle path acquisition unit 11 acquires the vehicle path that the vehicle 30 will travel. The vehicle path is the trajectory that the vehicle 30 is predicted to travel over a predetermined period of time. The vehicle path acquisition unit 11 predicts the position of the vehicle 30 in chronological order from the current time to the predetermined period of time, and acquires the trajectory of the vehicle 30's position in the predicted chronological order as the vehicle path. The predetermined period of time is, for example, a few seconds. The vehicle path acquisition unit 11 acquires the vehicle speed and steering angle of the vehicle 30 from the vehicle speed sensor 2 and the steering angle sensor 3, and acquires the vehicle path of the vehicle 30 based on the vehicle speed and steering angle of the vehicle 30.

[0025] The vehicle path acquisition unit 11 acquires detection information from the shift position sensor 4 and determines the current shift position of the vehicle 30. Based on the vehicle speed, steering angle, and shift position, the vehicle path acquisition unit 11 acquires the vehicle path of the vehicle 30. For example, if the shift position is "D", the vehicle path acquisition unit 11 acquires the vehicle path extending in the direction of travel, with the front of the vehicle 30 as the direction of travel, based on the vehicle speed and steering angle of the vehicle 30. Also, if the shift position is "R", the vehicle path acquisition unit 11 acquires the vehicle path extending in the direction of travel, with the rear of the vehicle 30 as the direction of travel, based on the vehicle speed and steering angle of the vehicle 30.

[0026] The surrounding recognition unit 12 recognizes the driving environment around the vehicle 30 based on detection information from the external sensor 5. The surrounding recognition unit 12 recognizes target vehicles that are in the direction of travel of the vehicle 30. Based on the detection information of the surrounding environment of the vehicle 30 from the external sensor 5 and the vehicle's path acquired by the vehicle path acquisition unit 11, the surrounding recognition unit 12 recognizes other vehicles located near the vehicle's path as target vehicles. The surrounding recognition unit 12 recognizes other vehicles located within a predetermined distance from the vehicle's path as target vehicles. For example, the predetermined distance is 1m. If there are multiple other vehicles located within the predetermined distance from the vehicle's path, all other vehicles located within the predetermined distance from the vehicle's path are recognized as target vehicles. Target vehicles include automobiles, motorcycles, mopeds, and light vehicles.

[0027] Furthermore, the surrounding recognition unit 12 acquires the position of the target vehicle. The position of the target vehicle is, for example, a relative position based on the current position of the own vehicle 30. The surrounding recognition unit 12 also acquires the target distance between the own vehicle and the target vehicle based on the positions of the own vehicle and the target vehicle.

[0028] Furthermore, the surrounding recognition unit 12 acquires the orientation of the target vehicle. For example, the surrounding recognition unit 12 acquires the direction of movement of the target vehicle as the orientation of the target vehicle. The surrounding recognition unit 12 acquires the direction of movement of the target vehicle as the orientation of the target vehicle from the movement history, which records the position of the target vehicle in chronological order. The surrounding recognition unit 12 acquires the longitudinal direction of the target vehicle as the orientation of the target vehicle. The surrounding recognition unit 12 performs image recognition processing on the image of the target vehicle acquired by the imaging device to recognize the longitudinal direction of the target vehicle.

[0029] The surrounding recognition unit 12 acquires the orientation of the target vehicle's wheels as the orientation of the target vehicle. For example, the surrounding recognition unit 12 performs image recognition processing on the image of the target vehicle acquired by the imaging device to recognize the wheels of the target vehicle and recognizes the orientation of the wheels as the orientation of the target vehicle.

[0030] The surrounding recognition unit 12 recognizes exterior parts attached to the vehicle body of the target vehicle and identifies the front end face, rear end face, and / or side face of the vehicle body based on the position of the exterior parts on the vehicle body. The surrounding recognition unit 12 estimates the orientation of the target vehicle based on the orientation of the identified front end face, rear end face, and / or side face. Exterior parts include, for example, headlights, taillights, and brake lights. The position on the vehicle body where each type of exterior part is attached is predetermined. Therefore, the surrounding recognition unit 12 identifies whether the position of the recognized exterior part on the vehicle body is on the front end face, rear end face, or side face of the vehicle body, depending on the type of exterior part.

[0031] The surrounding recognition unit 12 recognizes surrounding vehicles located around the target vehicle. The surrounding recognition unit 12 recognizes other vehicles located within a predetermined distance from the target vehicle in both the vehicle width direction and the direction of travel as surrounding vehicles. The predetermined distance is, for example, 5m. The surrounding recognition unit 12 also acquires the position and orientation of the surrounding vehicles. The method for acquiring the position and orientation of the surrounding vehicles is the same as the method for acquiring the position and orientation of the target vehicle.

[0032] The surrounding recognition unit 12 recognizes the lane boundary lines of the lanes located around the target vehicle. The lane boundary lines are, for example, white lines. The surrounding recognition unit 12 recognizes the lane boundary lines located within a predetermined distance in the vehicle width direction from the target vehicle. The surrounding recognition unit 12 also recognizes the direction of the lane boundary lines.

[0033] The target angle calculation unit 13 calculates the first target angle as the angle between the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target vehicle. As shown in Figure 2, the target angle calculation unit 13 calculates the acute angle among the angles between the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target vehicle as the first target angle. That is, the first target angle is an angle in the range of 0 degrees to 90 degrees. Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C are diagrams showing an example of the relationship between the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target vehicle. Figure 2A shows a scenario in which the own vehicle V1 is traveling in the direction of travel D1, and the target vehicle V2 is traveling in the direction of travel D2 ahead of the direction of travel D1. In this scenario, the direction of travel D1 is the direction of the own vehicle, and the direction of travel D2 is the direction of the target vehicle, and the angle θ between the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target vehicle is calculated as the first target angle. In Figure 2A, the first target angle is less than 90 degrees.

[0034] For example, driving scenes where the first target angle is less than 90 degrees include scenes where a target vehicle traveling ahead of your vehicle in the same lane is steering to change lanes to an adjacent lane, or scenes where the road your vehicle is traveling on connects diagonally to the intersecting road the target vehicle is traveling on.

[0035] Furthermore, Figure 2B, similar to Figure 2A, shows a scenario where the vehicle V1 is traveling in the direction of travel D1, and the target vehicle V2 is traveling in the direction of travel D2 ahead of the vehicle in the direction of travel D1, but the first symmetric angle is a right angle or nearly a right angle. An example of a driving scene where the first symmetric angle is a right angle or nearly a right angle is a scene where the road the vehicle is traveling on connects at nearly a right angle to the intersecting road the target vehicle is traveling on, such as a T-junction or a crossroads.

[0036] Furthermore, Figure 2C, similar to Figure 2A, shows a scenario where the vehicle V1 is traveling in the direction D1, and the target vehicle V2 is traveling in the direction D2 ahead of the vehicle in the direction D1. In this scenario, the orientation of the vehicle and the target vehicle are the same, meaning the first symmetric angle is 0 degrees or close to 0 degrees. An example of a driving scene where the first symmetric angle is 0 degrees or close to 0 degrees is when the vehicle and the target vehicle are traveling in the same lane in the same direction.

[0037] In this embodiment, when road orientation information such as white lines in the direction of the vehicle's travel cannot be obtained from map information or sensor information, the orientation of the target vehicle is estimated as the road orientation in the direction of the vehicle's travel, and by determining the angle between the orientation of the vehicle and the orientation of the target vehicle, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction relative to the orientation of the road ahead.

[0038] In this embodiment, the absolute angles representing the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target vehicle may be obtained, and the angle between the obtained directions of the own vehicle and the target vehicle may be used as the first target angle for calculation, or the direction of the target vehicle relative to the direction of the own vehicle may be used as the first target angle for calculation. The absolute angle is, for example, an angle in a clockwise direction with north as the reference. Note that the direction used as the reference for the absolute angle may be other than north.

[0039] The target angle calculation unit 13 calculates the second target angle as the angle between the direction of the target vehicle and the direction of surrounding vehicles. The target angle calculation unit 13 also calculates the third target angle as the angle between the direction of the target vehicle and the direction of the lane boundary line. The calculation method for the second and third target angles is the same as the calculation method for the first target angle.

[0040] The confidence calculation unit 14 calculates a degree of wrong direction confidence, which indicates the likelihood that the vehicle 30 is traveling in the wrong direction, based on the first target angle calculated by the target angle calculation unit 13. The confidence calculation unit 14 calculates the degree of wrong direction confidence such that it increases as the first target angle increases. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the first target angle and the degree of wrong direction confidence. The first target angle is an angle in the range of 0 (deg) to 90 (deg). As shown in Figure 3, the confidence calculation unit 14 calculates the degree of wrong direction confidence such that it increases continuously as the first target angle increases. In this embodiment, "wrong direction" refers to a direction that does not follow the direction of the road in front of the vehicle 30 in the direction of travel.

[0041] For example, as shown in Figure 2C, when the first angle of symmetrical motion is small, the confidence in the wrong direction is calculated to be small. That is, when the direction of the vehicle 30 and the direction of the target vehicle are in the same direction, the possibility that the vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction is low, so the confidence in the wrong direction will be a small value. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 2B, when the first angle of symmetrical motion is large, the confidence in the wrong direction is calculated to be large. That is, when the direction of the vehicle 30 and the direction of the target vehicle are significantly different, the possibility that the vehicle 30 is traveling in the wrong direction relative to the intersecting road ahead in the direction of travel of the vehicle is high, so the confidence in the wrong direction will be a large value.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the confidence level of misdirection is calculated to increase continuously as the first target angle increases, but the confidence level of misdirection is not limited to this, and may be calculated to increase in steps as the first target angle increases. The confidence level calculation unit 14 determines whether the first target angle is above a predetermined threshold, and if the first target angle is above the predetermined threshold, it calculates a higher confidence level of misdirection than when the first target angle is not above the predetermined threshold.

[0043] Furthermore, the confidence calculation unit 14 may calculate a correct direction confidence score, which indicates the likelihood that the target vehicle is moving in the direction it should be moving, based on the second target angle calculated by the target angle calculation unit 13, and then calculate a wrong direction confidence score based on the calculated correct direction confidence score. The correct direction confidence score is an index that indicates whether or not the orientation of the target vehicle can be used to determine whether the vehicle itself is moving in the wrong direction. In this embodiment, the wrong direction confidence score is calculated based on the orientation of the target vehicle, assuming that the orientation of the target vehicle is the correct direction for the direction of travel of the vehicle itself 30, but there is also the possibility that the target vehicle itself is not moving in the correct direction. Therefore, by using the correct direction confidence score in the calculation of the wrong direction confidence score, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the vehicle itself is moving in the wrong direction. In this embodiment, "correct direction" refers to the direction along the direction of the road in front of the direction of travel of the vehicle itself 30.

[0044] The confidence calculation unit 14 calculates the correct direction confidence when surrounding vehicles are recognized around the target vehicle, such that the correct direction confidence increases as the second target angle decreases. For example, the confidence calculation unit 14 calculates the correct direction confidence when surrounding vehicles are located within a predetermined distance in the vehicle width direction from the target vehicle, and the second target angle is below a predetermined threshold, such that the correct direction confidence increases continuously as the second target angle decreases. The second target angle is the angle between the direction of the target vehicle and the direction of the surrounding vehicles. That is, when the second target angle is small, the target vehicle is moving in the same direction as the surrounding vehicles. Since it is thought that multiple vehicles are moving in the same direction, there is a high probability that this direction is the correct direction. Therefore, the smaller the second target angle, the higher the correct direction confidence calculated.

[0045] Furthermore, the confidence calculation unit 14 may calculate the confidence in the correct direction in a stepwise manner as the second target angle decreases. The confidence calculation unit 14 determines whether the second target angle is below a predetermined threshold, and if the second target angle is below the predetermined threshold, it calculates a higher confidence in the correct direction than when the second target angle is not below the predetermined threshold.

[0046] Figures 4A and 4B illustrate an example of the relationship between the orientation of a target vehicle and the orientation of surrounding vehicles. For example, in Figures 4A and 4B, the target vehicle V2 is traveling in direction D2, and surrounding vehicle V3 is positioned around the target vehicle V2. In Figure 4A, the direction of travel D2 of the target vehicle V2 is defined as the orientation of the target vehicle, and the direction of travel D3 of the surrounding vehicle V3 is defined as the orientation of the surrounding vehicle. The orientation of the target vehicle and the orientation of the surrounding vehicle are parallel. When the second angle of symmetry is small in this way, the confidence in the correct direction is high. In Figure 4B, the direction of travel D2 of the target vehicle V2 is defined as the orientation of the target vehicle, and the direction of travel D3 of the surrounding vehicle V3 is defined as the orientation of the surrounding vehicle. The orientation of the target vehicle and the orientation of the surrounding vehicle are significantly different. When the second angle of symmetry is large in this way, the confidence in the correct direction is low.

[0047] Furthermore, the confidence calculation unit 14 may calculate the correct direction confidence based not only on the second target angle but also on the third target angle. When a lane boundary line is recognized around the target vehicle, the confidence calculation unit 14 calculates the correct direction confidence such that the correct direction confidence increases as the third target angle decreases. For example, when a white line is located within a predetermined distance in the vehicle width direction starting from the target vehicle, and the third target angle is below a predetermined threshold, the confidence calculation unit 14 calculates the correct direction confidence such that the correct direction confidence increases continuously as the third target angle decreases. The third target angle is the angle between the direction of the target vehicle and the direction of the lane boundary line. That is, when the third target angle is small, the target vehicle is moving in the same direction as the surrounding lane boundary lines. Since the target vehicle is considered to be moving along the surrounding lane boundary lines, there is a high probability that the direction of the target vehicle is correct. Therefore, the smaller the third target angle, the higher the calculated correct direction confidence.

[0048] Furthermore, the confidence level for the correct direction may be calculated to increase in stages as the third target angle increases. The confidence level calculation unit 14 determines whether the third target angle is below a predetermined threshold, and if the third target angle is below the predetermined threshold, it calculates a higher confidence level for the correct direction than when the third target angle is not below the predetermined threshold.

[0049] Figures 5A and 5B illustrate an example of the relationship between the direction of a target vehicle and the direction of the lane boundary line. For example, in Figures 5A and 5B, multiple target vehicles V2 are traveling in the direction D2, and lane boundary lines L1 and L2 are located around the target vehicles V2. In Figure 5A, the direction of travel D2 of the target vehicle V2 is defined as the direction of the target vehicle, and the direction D3 of the lane boundary lines L1 and L2 is defined as the direction of the lane boundary line. The direction of the target vehicle and the direction of the lane boundary line are parallel. When the third angle of symmetry is small in this way, the confidence in the correct direction is high. In Figure 5B, the direction of travel D2 of the target vehicle V2 is defined as the direction of the target vehicle, and the direction D3 of the lane boundary lines L1 and L2 is defined as the direction of the lane boundary line. The direction of the target vehicle and the direction of the lane boundary line are significantly different. When the third angle of symmetry is large in this way, the confidence in the correct direction is low.

[0050] The confidence calculation unit 14 calculates the correct direction confidence, and then calculates the incorrect direction confidence based on the calculated correct direction confidence and the first target angle. For example, the confidence calculation unit 14 sets the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence with respect to the increase in the first target angle such that the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence with respect to the increase in the first target angle increases as the correct direction confidence increases. For example, the confidence calculation unit 14 sets the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence such that the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence increases in stages as the correct direction confidence increases. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the first target angle and the incorrect direction confidence for each correct direction confidence. The first target angle is an angle in the range of 0 (deg) to 90 (deg). Figure 6 shows a graph representing the relationship between the first target angle and the incorrect direction confidence according to the correct direction confidence.

[0051] In this embodiment, the confidence in the correct direction is divided into steps according to its magnitude, and the rate of increase of the confidence in the wrong direction is set for each step. For example, the confidence in the correct direction is divided into three steps according to its magnitude (C1, C2, and C3 in descending order), and as shown in Figure 6, the relationship between the first target angle and the confidence in the wrong direction is set for each step. In the relationship between the first target angle and the confidence in the wrong direction, the rate of increase of the confidence in the wrong direction differs depending on the step of the confidence in the correct direction. For example, the rate of increase of the confidence in the wrong direction in step C1 is greater than the rate of increase of the confidence in the wrong direction in step C2. Also, the rate of increase of the confidence in the wrong direction in step C2 is greater than the rate of increase of the confidence in the wrong direction in step C3.

[0052] The confidence calculation unit 14 calculates the correct direction confidence, then identifies the corresponding correct direction confidence category according to the calculated correct direction confidence, and calculates the incorrect direction confidence based on the rate of increase in the incorrect direction confidence with respect to the increase in the first target angle corresponding to the identified category, and the first target angle.

[0053] The confidence calculation unit 14 sets a large rate of increase in the false direction confidence for an increase in the first target angle based on the correct direction confidence. However, it is not limited to this, and the rate of increase of the threshold for the increase in the false direction confidence may be set to increase as the second or third target angle decreases.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the confidence calculation unit 14 identifies a target area located around the target vehicle and determines whether the vehicle is located within the target area or whether the vehicle's path passes through the target area, based on the position of the target area and the position and / or path of the vehicle. The confidence calculation unit 14 may also set the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence such that the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence increases as the correct direction confidence increases when the correct direction confidence increases. The target area is, for example, the area between the target vehicle and surrounding vehicles when the second target angle is below a predetermined threshold. That is, a target area is identified between the target vehicle and surrounding vehicles when the second target angle is below a predetermined threshold. Note that since the position of the target area is identified from the positional relationship between the target vehicle and surrounding vehicles at a predetermined time, if the target vehicle and surrounding vehicles are moving, the target area may be the trajectory of the position of the target area identified in chronological order.

[0055] Figure 7 shows an example of the relationship between the target area and the vehicle's path. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the target area A1 is located between the target vehicle V2 and surrounding vehicle V3, and the vehicle's path TL passes through the target area A1. In such a case, the confidence calculation unit 14 sets the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence such that the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence increases as the correct direction confidence increases. Also, if the vehicle's path does not pass through the target area A1, the confidence calculation unit 14 does not set a high rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence based on the correct direction confidence.

[0056] Furthermore, the target area is the area within the lane defined by the lane boundary lines surrounding the target vehicle, when the third target angle is below a predetermined threshold. When the third target angle is below a predetermined threshold, the area within the lane surrounding the target vehicle is identified as the target area. For example, in Figure 8, the target area A1 exists within the lane defined by the lane boundary lines L1 and L2 surrounding the target vehicle V2, and the vehicle path TL of the vehicle V1 passes through the target area A1. In such a case, the confidence calculation unit 14 sets the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence such that the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence increases as the correct direction confidence increases.

[0057] The threshold setting unit 15 sets a threshold for determining whether the accelerator operation is an error. An error is, for example, pressing the accelerator pedal when intending to press the brake pedal. Based on the degree of confidence in the wrong direction, the threshold setting unit 15 sets a predetermined distance threshold for the target distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle. The threshold setting unit 15 sets the predetermined distance threshold so that it increases as the degree of confidence in the wrong direction increases. For example, the threshold setting unit 15 sets the predetermined distance threshold so that it increases continuously or stepwise as the degree of confidence in the wrong direction increases.

[0058] Furthermore, the threshold setting unit 15 sets a predetermined accelerator opening threshold based on the degree of confidence in the wrong direction. The threshold setting unit 15 sets the predetermined accelerator opening threshold so that it decreases as the degree of confidence in the wrong direction increases. For example, the threshold setting unit 15 sets the predetermined accelerator opening threshold so that it decreases continuously or in stages as the degree of confidence in the wrong direction increases.

[0059] Furthermore, the threshold setting unit 15 sets a predetermined rate of change threshold for the accelerator opening based on the confidence level of wrong direction. The threshold setting unit 15 sets the predetermined rate of change threshold such that it decreases as the confidence level of wrong direction increases. For example, the threshold setting unit 15 sets the predetermined rate of change threshold such that it decreases continuously or stepwise as the confidence level of wrong direction increases.

[0060] When an accelerator operation is input, the error detection unit 16 determines whether predetermined acceleration suppression conditions for determining an accelerator operation error are met. For example, the error detection unit 16 determines whether predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are met based on the target distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle when the vehicle's accelerator is operated, the accelerator opening, the rate of change of the accelerator opening, and their respective thresholds. The predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are that at least one of the following conditions is met: the distance between the vehicle 30 and the target vehicle when the vehicle's accelerator is operated is less than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold; the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined accelerator opening threshold; and the rate of change of the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined rate of change threshold.

[0061] As described above, in this embodiment, the angle between the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target vehicle is used to estimate whether or not it is necessary to suppress the rapid acceleration of the own vehicle 30. Then, when the accelerator is operated in a situation where it is necessary to suppress the rapid acceleration of the own vehicle 30, it is determined that the accelerator operation is an error. Therefore, even if it is not possible to estimate whether or not it is necessary to suppress the rapid acceleration of the own vehicle 30 using map information or sensor information, it is possible to determine whether or not the accelerator operation is an error by estimating the possibility that the own vehicle is moving in the wrong direction.

[0062] For example, in this embodiment, it is possible to determine whether or not the accelerator operation is incorrect even if there is no white line on the road ahead of the vehicle 30 in the direction of travel, or if there is a white line but it cannot be detected. Cases where there is no white line include, for example, the road before a highway toll booth, where there is no white line but there is a flow of vehicles heading towards the toll booth. Cases where the white line cannot be detected include, for example, when the white line is faded, when the white line is difficult for the sensor to recognize due to lighting conditions, or when the road surface is covered with snow and the white line cannot be recognized.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, even when a white line can be detected, if the vehicle's behavior does not follow the white line but the vehicle's behavior is correct, it is possible to determine whether the accelerator operation is incorrect. For example, if there is an obstacle such as a construction site or an accident vehicle in the direction of travel of another vehicle, or if there is a lane restriction or lane repainting in the direction of travel of another vehicle, it is possible to determine whether the accelerator operation is incorrect when the other vehicle is behaving in a way that does not follow the white line in accordance with the real-time surrounding road conditions. Also, even if the white line is misdetected and the vehicle's behavior is correct, it is possible to determine whether the accelerator operation is incorrect.

[0064] Furthermore, for example, when using LIDAR for detection, three-dimensional objects are easier to detect than road markings such as white lines. The driver assistance device 7 according to this embodiment detects other vehicles around the vehicle and estimates the possibility that the vehicle is moving in the wrong direction based on the orientation of the other vehicles. Therefore, it is less prone to making incorrect judgments than technologies that use LIDAR to detect white lines and estimate the possibility that the vehicle is moving in the wrong direction. In addition, millimeter-wave radar and sonar cannot detect white lines in the first place, and when the detected three-dimensional object is stationary, they cannot determine the orientation of the object, nor can they accurately determine the orientation of moving objects.

[0065] Furthermore, the driver assistance system 7 according to this embodiment can handle real-time surrounding conditions and locations where maps are not available, unlike technologies that estimate the possibility of the vehicle traveling in the wrong direction using maps. For example, in private property, parking lots, locations with localized white line shapes that cannot be handled without high-precision maps, and locations where map updates are delayed and map information differs from the current situation, the driver assistance system 7 according to this embodiment can estimate the possibility of the vehicle traveling in the wrong direction more accurately.

[0066] If the malfunction detection unit 16 determines that predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are met, the control command generation unit 17 generates an acceleration suppression command to suppress acceleration by the accelerator control device 20 and outputs the acceleration suppression command to the accelerator control device 20. The acceleration suppression command is, for example, a control command that accelerates the vehicle 30 so that the acceleration is less than or equal to the maximum acceleration value. The control command generation unit 17 sets the maximum acceleration value and generates an acceleration suppression command that makes the acceleration less than or equal to the maximum acceleration value. The method of acceleration suppression is not limited to suppressing acceleration, but may also be suppression of speed, accelerator opening, or the rate of change of accelerator opening. Furthermore, if the malfunction detection unit 16 determines that predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are not met, the control command generation unit 17 calculates a control command to execute acceleration control based on accelerator operation.

[0067] The accelerator control device 20 autonomously controls the vehicle's speed based on control commands input from the controller 10. When the controller 10 outputs an acceleration suppression command, the accelerator control device 20 controls the throttle of the vehicle 30 so that the acceleration or vehicle speed is less than or equal to the maximum value. The accelerator control device 20 may also control the throttle opening to be smaller than the normal throttle opening, or control the rate of change of the throttle opening to be less than or equal to the maximum value.

[0068] Next, the process related to acceleration suppression control performed by the driver assistance device 7 will be explained. Figure 9 is a flowchart of the control flow for performing acceleration suppression control in the driver assistance device 7. When the vehicle 30 starts moving, the controller 10 starts the control flow from step S1.

[0069] In step S1, the controller 10 acquires the vehicle's path, which is the predicted path of the vehicle 30. In step S2, the controller 10 recognizes a target vehicle. For example, the controller 10 recognizes another vehicle located within a predetermined distance from the vehicle's path acquired in step S1 as a target vehicle. In step S3, the controller 10 acquires the position of the recognized target vehicle. In step S4, the controller 10 acquires the orientation of the recognized target vehicle.

[0070] In step S5, the controller 10 obtains the orientation of its own vehicle 30. In step S6, the controller 10 calculates the first target angle. For example, the controller 10 calculates the first target angle as the angle between the orientation of its own vehicle 30 obtained in step S5 and the orientation of the target vehicle obtained in step S4. In step S7, the controller 10 calculates the correct direction confidence level, which indicates the likelihood that the target vehicle is moving in the direction it should be moving. In step S8, the controller 10 calculates the wrong direction confidence level, which indicates the likelihood that its own vehicle 30 is moving in the wrong direction. For example, the controller 10 calculates the wrong direction confidence level based on the first target angle calculated in step S6 and the correct direction confidence level calculated in step S7. In this embodiment, the wrong direction confidence level may be calculated based only on the first target angle without calculating the correct direction confidence level. In step S9, the controller 10 sets a threshold for determining an accelerator misoperation based on the wrong direction confidence level calculated in step S8. The thresholds include, for example, a predetermined distance threshold for the distance between the vehicle 30 and the target vehicle, a predetermined accelerator opening threshold, and a predetermined rate of change threshold for the accelerator opening.

[0071] In step S10, the controller 10 determines whether or not there is accelerator operation. If it determines that there is accelerator operation, the controller 10 proceeds to step S11. If it determines that there is no accelerator operation, the controller 10 returns to step S1 and repeats the following flow. The controller 10 determines that there is accelerator operation when it obtains accelerator operation input information from the accelerator opening sensor 1. In this embodiment, the determination of whether or not there is accelerator operation is made after setting a threshold in step S9, but it is not limited to this, and the control for setting the threshold and the control for determining whether or not there is accelerator operation may be executed in parallel at a predetermined period.

[0072] In step S11, the controller 10 detects the distance between the vehicle 30 and the target vehicle. In step S12, the controller 10 detects the accelerator opening of the vehicle 30. In step S13, the controller 10 detects or calculates the rate of change of the accelerator opening of the vehicle 30. In step S14, the controller 10 determines whether or not predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are met. If it is determined that the predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are met, the controller 10 proceeds to step S15. If it is determined that the predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are not met, the controller 10 proceeds to step S16. The predetermined acceleration suppression conditions are that at least one of the following conditions is met: the distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle at the time of accelerator operation is less than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold; the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined accelerator opening threshold; and the rate of change of the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined rate of change threshold.

[0073] In step S15, the controller 10 performs acceleration suppression control. For example, the controller 10 sets a predetermined maximum acceleration and performs acceleration control at or below the predetermined maximum acceleration. In step S16, the controller 10 performs acceleration control based on accelerator operation. In this embodiment, the threshold is continuously updated while the vehicle is in motion, and when accelerator operation occurs, it is determined whether the accelerator operation satisfies a predetermined acceleration suppression condition based on the threshold set at that time. This makes it possible to suppress acceleration caused by incorrect accelerator operation in situations where acceleration suppression is necessary.

[0074] As described above, in this embodiment, a driving assistance method is performed by a controller, recognizes a target vehicle in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and suppresses acceleration based on accelerator operation if at least one of the following conditions is met: the distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle when the vehicle's accelerator is operated is less than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold, the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined accelerator opening threshold, and the rate of change of the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined rate of change threshold. The controller calculates the angle between the direction of the vehicle and the direction of the target vehicle as the first target angle, calculates the degree of confidence in the wrong direction such that the degree of confidence in the wrong direction increases as the first target angle increases, sets a predetermined distance threshold such that the predetermined distance threshold increases as the degree of confidence in the wrong direction increases, and / or sets a predetermined accelerator opening threshold and / or a predetermined rate of change threshold such that the predetermined accelerator opening threshold and / or a predetermined rate of change threshold decrease as the degree of confidence in the wrong direction increases. As a result, even when it is not possible to obtain road orientation information in front of the vehicle, sudden acceleration due to sudden accelerator operation can be appropriately suppressed.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller recognizes surrounding vehicles located around the target vehicle, calculates the angle between the direction of the target vehicle and the direction of the surrounding vehicles as the second target angle, calculates the correct direction confidence level such that the correct direction confidence level, which indicates the likelihood that the target vehicle is moving in the direction it should be moving, increases as the second target angle decreases, and sets the increase rate such that the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence level for an increase in the first target angle increases as the correct direction confidence level increases. This makes it possible to evaluate the possibility that the vehicle is moving in the wrong direction using not only the direction of the target vehicle but also the directions of surrounding vehicles other than the target vehicle, so that it is possible to more appropriately determine whether or not the accelerator operation was a mistake. In this embodiment, the incorrect direction confidence level may be calculated based on the first target angle without calculating the correct direction confidence level.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller identifies the area between the target vehicle and surrounding vehicles as the target area, acquires the position of the own vehicle and / or the target trajectory the own vehicle is traveling on, and determines whether the own vehicle is located within the target area or whether the target trajectory passes through the target area based on the position of the target area and the position of the own vehicle and / or the target trajectory. If the own vehicle is located within the target area or the target trajectory passes through the target area, the controller sets an increase rate such that the increase rate increases as the confidence in the correct direction increases. This makes it possible to evaluate the possibility that the own vehicle is traveling in the wrong direction using the position of the target vehicle, the positions of other surrounding vehicles and the position of the own vehicle or the target trajectory, in addition to the orientation of surrounding vehicles other than the target vehicle, so that it can more appropriately determine whether the accelerator operation was a mistaken pedal press.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller recognizes the lane boundary lines of the lanes surrounding the target vehicle, calculates the angle between the direction of the target vehicle and the direction of the lane boundary lines as the third target angle, calculates the correct direction confidence level such that the probability of the target vehicle moving in the direction it should be moving increases as the third target angle decreases, and sets the increase rate such that the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence level for an increase in the first target angle increases as the correct direction confidence level increases. Since the possibility of the vehicle moving in the wrong direction can be evaluated using the direction of the white lines around the target vehicle, it is possible to more appropriately determine whether or not the accelerator operation was a mistaken pedal press.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller identifies the area within the lane as the target area, acquires the position of the vehicle and / or the target trajectory the vehicle will travel, and determines whether the vehicle is located within the target area or whether the target trajectory passes through the target area based on the position of the target area and the position of the vehicle and / or the target trajectory. If the vehicle is located within the target area or the target trajectory passes through the target area, the controller sets the increase rate such that the rate of increase in the confidence in the wrong direction increases with increasing first target angle as the confidence in the correct direction increases. This makes it possible to evaluate the possibility that the vehicle is moving in the wrong direction using the white lines around the target vehicle, as well as the position of the vehicle and the white lines or the target trajectory, so that it is possible to more appropriately determine whether the accelerator operation was a mistaken pedal press.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller acquires the direction of movement of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles as the orientation of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles. This makes it easy to acquire the orientation of the target vehicle, allowing for a more accurate determination of whether or not the accelerator operation was a mistake without increasing the processing load.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller acquires the longitudinal direction of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles as the orientation of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles. This allows for easy acquisition of the orientation of the target vehicle, enabling a more accurate determination of whether or not the accelerator operation was a misapplication without increasing the processing load.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller acquires the orientation of the wheels of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles as the orientation of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles. This allows for easy acquisition of the orientation of the target vehicle, enabling a more accurate determination of whether or not the accelerator operation was a mistake without increasing the processing load.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the controller recognizes exterior parts provided on the body of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles, identifies the front end face, rear end face and / or side face of the vehicle body based on the position of the exterior parts on the vehicle body, and estimates the orientation of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles based on the orientation of the identified front end face, rear end face and / or side face. This makes it easy to obtain the orientation of the target vehicle, allowing for a more accurate determination of whether or not the accelerator operation was a misapplication without increasing the processing load.

[0083] The embodiments described above are provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiments is intended to include all design modifications and equivalents that fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 100…Driving assistance systems 7…Driving assistance systems 10…Controller 11... Vehicle path acquisition unit 12... Surroundings Recognition Unit 13...Target angle calculation unit 14...Confidence calculation unit 15...Threshold setting section 16...Mirror operation determination section 17...Control command generation unit 20...Accelerator control device

Claims

1. A driving assistance method that is executed by a controller, recognizes a target vehicle in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and suppresses acceleration based on the accelerator operation if at least one of the following conditions is met: the distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle at the time of accelerator operation is less than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold, the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined accelerator opening threshold, and the rate of change of the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined rate of change threshold, The aforementioned controller, The angle between the direction of the vehicle itself and the direction of the target vehicle is calculated as the first target angle. The degree of confidence in the wrong direction is calculated such that as the first angle of target increases, the degree of confidence in the wrong direction, which indicates the high probability that the vehicle is moving in the wrong direction, increases. A driving assistance method comprising setting a predetermined distance threshold such that the predetermined distance threshold increases as the confidence in the wrong direction increases, and / or setting a predetermined accelerator opening threshold and / or a predetermined rate of change threshold such that the predetermined accelerator opening threshold and / or a predetermined rate of change threshold decreases as the confidence in the wrong direction increases.

2. The aforementioned controller, Recognizing surrounding vehicles located around the aforementioned target vehicle, The angle between the orientation of the target vehicle and the orientation of the surrounding vehicles is calculated as the second target angle. The degree of confidence in the correct direction is calculated such that as the second angle of target decreases, the degree of confidence in the correct direction, which indicates the high probability that the target vehicle is moving in the direction it should be moving, increases. The driving assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the rate of increase is set such that the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence increases with respect to the increase in the first target angle as the correct direction confidence increases.

3. The aforementioned controller, The area between the aforementioned target vehicle and the surrounding vehicles is identified as the target area. The position of the vehicle and / or the target trajectory on which the vehicle is traveling are acquired. Based on the position of the target area and the position of the vehicle and / or the target trajectory, it is determined whether the vehicle is located within the target area or whether the target trajectory passes through the target area. The driving assistance method according to claim 2, wherein the rate of increase is set such that the rate of increase increases as the confidence in the correct direction increases when the vehicle is located within the target area or the target trajectory passes through the target area.

4. The aforementioned controller, The lane boundary lines of the lanes located around the aforementioned target vehicle are recognized. The angle between the direction of the vehicle in question and the direction of the lane boundary line is calculated as the third target angle. The degree of confidence in the correct direction is calculated such that as the third angle of target decreases, the degree of confidence in the correct direction, which indicates the high probability that the target vehicle is moving in the direction it should be moving, increases. The driving assistance method according to claim 1, wherein the rate of increase is set such that the rate of increase of the incorrect direction confidence increases with respect to the increase in the first target angle as the correct direction confidence increases.

5. The aforementioned controller, The area within the aforementioned lane is identified as the target area, The position of the vehicle and / or the target trajectory on which the vehicle is traveling are acquired. Based on the position of the target area and the position of the vehicle and / or the target trajectory, it is determined whether the vehicle is located within the target area or whether the target trajectory passes through the target area. The driving assistance method according to claim 4, wherein the rate of increase is set such that the rate of increase increases as the confidence in the correct direction increases when the vehicle is located within the target area or the target trajectory passes through the target area.

6. The driving assistance method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the controller acquires the direction of movement of the target vehicle and / or the surrounding vehicles as the orientation of the target vehicle and / or the orientation of the surrounding vehicles.

7. The driving assistance method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the controller acquires the longitudinal direction of the target vehicle and / or the surrounding vehicles as the orientation of the target vehicle and / or the orientation of the surrounding vehicles.

8. The driving assistance method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the controller acquires the orientation of the wheels of the target vehicle and / or the surrounding vehicles as the orientation of the target vehicle and / or the orientation of the surrounding vehicles.

9. The aforementioned controller, Recognizing exterior parts provided on the body of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles, Based on the position of the exterior part on the vehicle body, the front end face, rear end face and / or side face of the vehicle body are identified, The driving assistance method according to claim 2 or 3, which estimates the orientation of the target vehicle and / or surrounding vehicles based on the orientation of the identified front end surface, the rear end surface and / or the side surface.

10. A driver assistance device comprising a controller that recognizes a target vehicle in the direction of travel of the vehicle itself, and suppresses acceleration based on the accelerator operation if at least one of the following conditions is met: the distance between the vehicle and the target vehicle when the vehicle's accelerator is operated is less than or equal to a predetermined distance threshold; the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined accelerator opening threshold; and the rate of change of the accelerator opening is greater than or equal to a predetermined rate of change threshold, The aforementioned controller, The angle between the direction of the vehicle itself and the direction of the target vehicle is calculated as the first target angle. The degree of confidence in the wrong direction is calculated such that as the first angle of target increases, the degree of confidence in the wrong direction, which indicates the high probability that the vehicle is moving in the wrong direction, increases. A driving assistance device that sets a predetermined distance threshold so that the predetermined distance threshold increases as the confidence in the wrong direction increases, and / or sets a predetermined accelerator opening threshold and / or a predetermined rate of change threshold so that the predetermined accelerator opening threshold and / or a predetermined rate of change threshold decreases as the confidence in the wrong direction increases.

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