Driver assistance system, driver assistance processing method, and recording medium

Abstract

The present invention provides a driving assistance system that calculates psychological state values on the basis of vehicle measurement data including driver psychological state information related to a psychological state of a driver of a vehicle, the data being measured in a predetermined specific travel scenario set up in advance. The psychological state values indicate changes in the psychological state of a driver of another vehicle present in the predetermined specific travel scenario while the vehicle to be assisted with is traveling in the predetermined specific travel scenario. The psychological state values are a first psychological state value for the case where the driver of the vehicle to be assisted with changes their driving behavior and a second psychological state value for the case where the driver of the vehicle to be assisted with does not change their driving behavior. The system assists with the driving of the vehicle to be assisted with on the basis of a psychological state evaluation value that indicates the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a driving support system, a driving support processing method, and a recording medium.

Background Art

[0002] In a scenario involving multiple participants, there is a concept of Total Optimization that represents the optimal state for the overall situation of all participants. This concept of Total Optimization can also be applied to a traffic environment involving multiple traffic participants.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an environment adjustment system that not only enables each user to achieve their goals but also optimizes the entire environment to which the user belongs. Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses an acquisition unit that acquires environmental information of the environment related to the user, a planning unit that formulates an action plan to be recommended to the user based on the environmental information, a transmission unit that transmits the action plan to the user's terminal, and a confirmation unit that checks whether the user has fulfilled the action plan. When the planning unit formulates a new action plan for another user or the user, it formulates the plan using the confirmation result obtained by the confirmation unit.

[0004] Also, Patent Document 2 proposes a technique for optimizing the overall situation of the actions of a large number of users. Specifically, Patent Document 2 discloses a content providing means for transmitting content that prompts a change in action to the terminal devices of some users, a confirmation means for checking whether the users who received the content actually changed their actions according to the content, and a content effect determination means for determining the characteristics and / or states of users who are likely to accept the content based on the confirmation result obtained by the confirmation means and the characteristics and / or states of the users stored in the database, and recording the determination result in the database. The content providing means discloses an action control system that determines the users to be selected as the content providing destination based on the determination result recorded in the database when providing content next.

Prior Art Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-117142 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-59099 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In traffic environments involving multiple participants, traffic troubles can be avoided by engaging in altruistic driving behavior that does not provoke other participants. If we consider such altruistic driving behavior as an overall optimal action that optimizes the overall situation for surrounding traffic participants, then the psychological state of other drivers is likely to have a significant impact on this overall optimization.

[0007] However, while the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 consider traffic congestion mitigation and energy supply optimization as part of overall environmental optimization, they do not consider the psychological state of the vehicle driver. Therefore, the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot achieve overall optimal driving that does not disturb other traffic participants.

[0008] Furthermore, while the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 consider the difference between planned driving behavior and actual driving behavior for autonomous vehicles, they do not focus on the difference in impact on the overall optimization between when the driver changes their driving behavior and when they do not. For example, if it is known how yielding the space in front of one's own vehicle versus not yielding affects the drivers of other vehicles in a situation where multiple lanes merge, it would be possible to indicate appropriate driving behavior to the drivers of other vehicles.

[0009] This disclosure has been made in view of the above issues, and its purpose is to provide a driver assistance system, a driver assistance control method, and a recording medium that support the realization of overall optimal driving that does not disturb other traffic participants. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, in one view of this disclosure, a driving assistance system is provided that assists in driving a vehicle, comprising: a data collection storage unit that stores vehicle measurement data, including driver psychological state information relating to the psychological state of the vehicle's driver, which is transmitted from terminal devices mounted on each vehicle and measured in a predetermined specific driving scene; and a processing unit that performs processing to assist in driving the vehicle to be assisted based on the collected vehicle measurement data, wherein the processing unit calculates, based on the vehicle measurement data, a psychological state calculation process that calculates a psychological state evaluation value indicating the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value, which is a psychological state value indicating a change in the psychological state of the drivers of other vehicles present in the predetermined specific driving scene while the vehicle to be assisted is driving in the predetermined specific driving scene, and that calculates a psychological state evaluation value indicating the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value; and a driving assistance process that assists in driving the vehicle to be assisted based on the psychological state evaluation value.

[0011] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, according to another aspect of this disclosure, a driving support processing method is provided for assisting the driving of a vehicle, wherein a computer collects vehicle measurement data, which includes driver psychological state information relating to the psychological state of the driver of the vehicle, measured in a predetermined specific driving scene and transmitted from terminal devices installed in each vehicle; calculates psychological state values, which indicate the change in the psychological state of the drivers of other vehicles present in the predetermined specific driving scene while the vehicle to be supported is driving in the predetermined specific driving scene, a first psychological state value when the driver of the vehicle to be supported changes their driving behavior, and a second psychological state value when the driver of the vehicle to be supported does not change their driving behavior; calculates a psychological state evaluation value that indicates the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value; and assists the driving of the vehicle to be supported based on the psychological state evaluation value.

[0012] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, according to another aspect of this disclosure, a non-temporary tangible recording medium is provided which records a program that causes a computer to collect vehicle measurement data, including driver psychological state information relating to the psychological state of the driver of the vehicle, which is transmitted from terminal devices installed in each vehicle and measured in a predetermined specific driving scene; calculate psychological state values, which indicate the change in the psychological state of the drivers of other vehicles present in the predetermined specific driving scene while the supported vehicle is driving in the predetermined specific driving scene, a first psychological state value when the driver of the supported vehicle changes their driving behavior, and a second psychological state value when the driver of the supported vehicle does not change their driving behavior, based on the collected vehicle measurement data, calculate a psychological state evaluation value that indicates the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value, and assist the driving of the supported vehicle based on the psychological state evaluation value. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] As explained above, this disclosure can help achieve overall optimal driving that does not disturb other traffic participants. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of a driver assistance system according to the first embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating examples of specific driving scenarios in which vehicle driving behavior affects a person's psychological state. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating another example of a specific driving scenario in which vehicle driving behavior affects a person's psychological state. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating another example of a specific driving scenario in which vehicle driving behavior affects a person's psychological state. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a vehicle configuration to which the driver assistance system of the same embodiment can be applied. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the driver assistance device of the driver assistance system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the main routine of the processing operation by the driver assistance device of the driver assistance system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart showing the support processing by the driver assistance device of the driver assistance system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart showing the pre-passage processing by the driver assistance device of the driver assistance system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart showing the post-pass processing by the driver assistance device of the driver assistance system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the management server for the driver assistance system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 12] This flowchart shows the processing operations performed by the management server of the driver assistance system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 13] This flowchart shows the process of setting pre-passage support information by the management server of the driver assistance system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a flowchart showing the pre - passing support information setting process by the management server of the driving support system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart showing the post - passing advice information setting process by the management server of the driving support system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 16] It is a flowchart showing the psychological state evaluation value calculation process by the management server of the driving support system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 17] It is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the driving support device of the driving support system according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 18] It is a flowchart showing the pre - passing process by the driving support device of the driving support system according to the same embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0016] In the embodiments described below, the "specific driving scene" refers to a driving scene defined in advance as a driving scene in which the driving behavior of a vehicle affects the overall optimality of surrounding traffic participants. The "specific driving scene" may be defined in advance at the design stage of the system or may be arbitrarily defined by the user of the vehicle.

[0017] The "traffic participant" refers to a vehicle existing in a specific driving scene, including not only other vehicles but also the vehicle to be supported. The "surrounding traffic participants" refer to other vehicles existing around any one vehicle (the vehicle to be supported) among the traffic participants. The "terminal device" refers to a driving support device mounted on a vehicle participating in the system.

[0018] "Driver's psychological state" indicates the level of psychological stress, and is categorized into 11 levels, for example, from -5 to +5, with a larger absolute value of the positive value indicating a more positive psychological state. "Driver's psychological state" is thought to change to a negative state if, for example, the vehicle's driving behavior violates traffic rules or manners, or if the driving behavior is perceived as dangerous. Conversely, "driver's psychological state" is thought to change to a positive state if, for example, the vehicle's driving behavior prioritizes other vehicles.

[0019] <<1. First Embodiment>> <1-1. Overview of the Driver Assistance System> First, we will describe an example of a driver assistance system according to the embodiment of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the basic configuration of the driver assistance system 100. The driver assistance system 100 comprises terminal devices (driver assistance devices) 50, each installed in multiple vehicles 1, and a management server 110. The number of vehicles 1 participating in the driver assistance system 100 is arbitrary and not particularly limited. Also, for ease of understanding, only one management server 110 is shown in the diagram, but there may be multiple management servers 110.

[0021] Each driver assistance device 50 is connected to the management server 110 via one or more communication networks 105. For example, the driver assistance device 50 is connected to the management server 110 via a mobile communication network.

[0022] The driver assistance device 50 is installed in the vehicle 1 participating in the system and detects the position information of the vehicle 1 in a predetermined processing cycle, and calculates the direction of movement of the vehicle 1 based on the time change in the position of the vehicle 1. The driver assistance device 50 also measures the driving state of the vehicle 1 and stores it as time-series data. In addition, the driver assistance device 50 detects driver psychological state information related to the psychological state of the vehicle's driver.

[0023] The driver assistance device 50 is configured to transmit to the management server 110 identification information for identifying the driver, along with information on the vehicle 1's location, direction of movement, and driving state, and information on the driver's psychological state. In this embodiment, the driver's identification information, the vehicle 1's location information, direction of movement, and driving state, and the driver's state information correspond to vehicle measurement data. Hereinafter, the information on the vehicle 1's location information, direction of movement, and driving state may be collectively referred to as "vehicle state information."

[0024] Furthermore, the driver assistance device 50 acquires notification information from the management server 110 to assist in the driving of vehicle 1, and notifies the driver of vehicle 1 of the acquired notification information. In this embodiment, the driver assistance device 50 acquires notification information from the management server 110 before and after vehicle 1 passes through a predetermined specific driving scene, and notifies the driver of the acquired notification information.

[0025] The management server 110 is an information processing device that is connected to the driver assistance device 50 via a communication network 105, for example, using cloud computing technology. The management server 110 receives vehicle measurement data from the driver assistance device 50. The received vehicle measurement data includes information indicating that vehicle 1 is passing through a predetermined specific driving scene.

[0026] The management server 110 identifies other vehicles located within a predetermined area corresponding to the position of vehicle 1 passing through a specific driving scene, and identifies vehicle measurement data received from those other vehicles. Based on the vehicle measurement data acquired from surrounding traffic participants in the specific driving scene, the management server 110 sets notification information to support the driving of the vehicle to be supported 1, and transmits this notification information to the driving support device 50 of vehicle 1.

[0027] Figures 2 to 4 are explanatory diagrams illustrating examples of specific driving scenarios in which the driving behavior of one vehicle affects the psychological state of other drivers. Figure 2 shows a scene on a road with a pedestrian crossing, where three vehicles 200a to 200c are traveling towards the crossing from the right, a vehicle 200d in the opposite lane has stopped just before the crossing, and a pedestrian 202 is approaching the crossing. The specific driving scene in Figure 2 is defined, for example, as "a driving scene passing through a pedestrian crossing without traffic signals."

[0028] In the example shown in Figure 2, if vehicle 200d slows down to allow pedestrian 202 to cross, vehicle 200a can also slow down or stop to facilitate a smooth crossing for pedestrian 202. In this case, the driver of the stopped vehicle 202d is likely to experience a positive change in psychological state. However, if vehicle 200a suddenly decelerates, the drivers of vehicles 200b and 200c are likely to experience a negative change in psychological state. On the other hand, if vehicle 200a continues driving without slowing down, the driver of vehicle 202d is likely to experience a negative change in psychological state.

[0029] Figures 3 and 4 show another example of a specific driving scenario, illustrating a situation where vehicles 210a to 200g traveling in their respective lanes merge at a lane merging point on a two-lane road. The specific driving scenario in Figures 3 and 4 is defined, for example, as a "driving scenario passing through a lane merging point."

[0030] Figure 3 shows a "zipper-type merge" where vehicles traveling in two lanes take turns yielding to each other at the beginning of the merge. In a zipper-type merge, the drivers of vehicles 210b and 210e at the beginning of the merge yield to each other, changing lanes (changing their driving behavior) and merging. On the other hand, Figure 4 shows how vehicles 200e to 200g traveling in the lane to merge cut in between vehicles 200a to 200d traveling in the lane to merge at an arbitrary point before the merge point. In the merging method shown in Figure 4, the drivers of vehicles 210a to 210g at appropriate positions slow down or change lanes (changing their driving behavior), and vehicles 200a to 200g merge.

[0031] The merging method shown in Figure 3 is less disruptive to the drivers of vehicles 200a to 200g compared to the merging method shown in Figure 4, and is not expected to negatively affect the psychological state of the drivers of vehicles 200a to 200g. Furthermore, in the merging method shown in Figure 4, if the drivers of vehicles 210c and 210d traveling in the merging lane are forced to decelerate rapidly due to the intrusion of vehicles 210f and 210g, it is expected that the psychological state of the drivers of vehicles 210c and 210d will change negatively.

[0032] The driver assistance system 100 according to this embodiment focuses on the changes in the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles in the vicinity caused by the driving behavior of a vehicle traveling in a specific driving scene, and is constructed as a system that supports driving in a way that reduces the stimulus given to drivers of other vehicles whose psychological state is significantly negatively affected.

[0033] The following describes in detail the functional configuration and operation of the driver assistance system 50 and the management server 110. For the sake of clarity, in the following description, a specific vehicle will be referred to as "Supported Vehicle 1," and vehicles other than Supported Vehicle 1 will be referred to as "Other Vehicles."

[0034] <1-2. Driving Assistance Systems> (1-2-1. Vehicles) Next, before describing the functional configuration of the driver assistance device 50, an example of the overall configuration of a vehicle 1 equipped with the driver assistance device 50 will be described. The driver assistance device 50 may be installed in all vehicles 1 participating in the system of this disclosure.

[0035] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of a vehicle 1 equipped with a driver assistance device 50. Vehicle 1 is configured as a two-wheel drive four-wheeled vehicle that transmits the drive torque output from a drive force source 9, which generates the drive torque, to the left front wheel and the right front wheel. The drive force source 9 may be an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, a drive motor, or both an internal combustion engine and a drive motor.

[0036] Vehicle 1 may be a four-wheel drive vehicle that transmits driving torque to the front and rear wheels. Vehicle 1 may also be an electric vehicle equipped with two drive motors, for example, a motor for driving the front wheels and a motor for driving the rear wheels, or an electric vehicle equipped with a drive motor corresponding to each wheel. Furthermore, if Vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, Vehicle 1 may be equipped with a secondary battery that stores the power supplied to the drive motors, and a generator such as a motor or fuel cell that generates the power charged to the battery.

[0037] Vehicle 1 is equipped with a drive source 9, an electric steering system 15, and brake systems 17LF, 17RF, 17LR, 17RR (hereinafter collectively referred to as "brake system 17" unless otherwise specified) as equipment used for controlling the operation of Vehicle 1. The drive source 9 outputs drive torque which is transmitted to the front wheel drive shaft 5F via a transmission and differential mechanism 7 (not shown). The drive of the drive source 9 and the transmission is controlled by a vehicle control unit 41 which is configured to include one or more electronic control units (ECUs).

[0038] An electric steering system 15 is provided on the front wheel drive shaft 5F. The electric steering system 15 includes an electric motor and a gear mechanism (not shown) and adjusts the steering angle of the front wheels by being controlled by the vehicle control unit 41. During manual driving, the vehicle control unit 41 controls the electric steering system 15 based on the steering angle of the steering wheel 13 made by the driver. During automatic driving, the vehicle control unit 41 controls the electric steering system 15 based on a set steering angle or steering angular velocity.

[0039] Brake units 17LF, 17RF, 17LR, and 17RR apply braking force to their respective wheels. Brake units 17 are configured, for example, as hydraulic brakes. The vehicle control unit 41 adjusts the hydraulic pressure supplied to each brake unit 17 by controlling the drive of the hydraulic unit 16. If the vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, the brake units 17 are used in conjunction with regenerative braking by the drive motor.

[0040] The vehicle control unit 41 includes one or more electronic control devices that control the drive of the power source 9, the electric steering device 15, and the hydraulic unit 16. If the vehicle 1 is equipped with a transmission that changes the speed of the output from the power source 9 and transmits it to the wheels 3, the vehicle control unit 41 has a function to control the drive of the transmission.

[0041] Vehicle 1 is also equipped with front-facing cameras 31LF, 31RF, a rear-facing camera 31R, a vehicle status sensor 33, a position detection sensor 35, an in-vehicle camera 37, and a notification device 43.

[0042] The forward-facing cameras 31LF, 31RF and the rear-facing camera 31R constitute an ambient environment sensor for acquiring information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1. The forward-facing cameras 31LF, 31RF capture images of the area in front of the vehicle 1 and generate image data. The rear-facing camera 31R captures images of the area behind the vehicle 1 and generates image data. The forward-facing cameras 31LF, 31RF and the rear-facing camera 31R are equipped with image sensors such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) and transmit the generated image data to the driver assistance device 50. In the vehicle 1 shown in Figure 5, the forward-facing cameras 31LF, 31RF are configured as a stereo camera including a pair of left and right cameras, but the forward-facing camera may be a monocular camera.

[0043] In addition to the front-facing cameras 31LF, 31RF and the rear-facing camera 31R, the surrounding environment sensor may also include, for example, a camera mounted on a side mirror to capture images of the left rear or right rear. Furthermore, the surrounding environment sensor may include one or more sensors from among LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), radar sensors such as millimeter-wave radar, and ultrasonic sensors.

[0044] The vehicle state sensor 33 consists of at least one sensor that detects the operating state and behavior of the vehicle 1. The vehicle state sensor 33 includes, for example, at least one of a steering angle sensor, accelerator position sensor, brake stroke sensor, brake pressure sensor, or engine speed sensor. The vehicle state sensor 33 also includes, for example, at least one of a vehicle speed sensor, acceleration sensor, or angular velocity sensor. Furthermore, the vehicle state sensor 33 includes a switch that detects the on / off state of the turn signal. The vehicle state sensor 33 transmits a sensor signal indicating the detected information to the driver assistance device 50.

[0045] The position detection sensor 35 receives satellite signals from GNSS positioning satellites, such as GPS. The position detection sensor 35 transmits the vehicle 1's position information, which is included in the received satellite signals, to the driver assistance device 50. In addition to a GPS sensor, the position detection sensor 35 may also be an antenna that receives satellite signals from other satellite systems that determine the vehicle 1's position.

[0046] The in-vehicle camera 37 photographs the driver of vehicle 1 and generates image data. The in-vehicle camera 37 is equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS and transmits the generated image data to the driver assistance device 50.

[0047] The notification device 43 is driven by the driver assistance device 50 and notifies the driver of vehicle 1 of various information by means of image display, audio output, etc. The notification device 43 includes, for example, a display device provided in the instrument panel and a speaker provided in vehicle 1. The display device may be a display device of a navigation system. The notification device 43 may also be a HUD (head-up display) that displays on the front windshield.

[0048] (1-2-2. Functional Configuration) Next, we will explain the functional configuration of the driver assistance system 50. The driver assistance device 50 functions as a device that assists the driving of a vehicle by having one or more processors, such as CPUs, execute a computer program. The computer program is a computer program that causes the processor to execute the operations that the driver assistance device 50 is to perform, as described later. The computer program executed by the processor may be recorded on a recording medium that functions as a memory 55 provided in the driver assistance device 50, or it may be recorded on a recording medium built into the driver assistance device 50 or on any external recording medium that can be attached to the driver assistance device 50.

[0049] Recording media for storing computer programs may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks), and Blu-ray®; magneto-optical media such as floppy disks; memory elements such as RAM and ROM; flash memory such as USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory and SSDs; and other media capable of storing programs.

[0050] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the driver assistance device 50. The driver assistance system 50 is connected to an ambient environment sensor 31, a vehicle status sensor 33, a position detection sensor 35, and an in-vehicle camera 37 via a dedicated line or communication means such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or LIN (Local Internet). In addition, the driver assistance system 50 is connected to a vehicle control unit 41 and a notification device 43.

[0051] Furthermore, the driver assistance device 50 is not limited to an electronic control unit mounted on the vehicle 1; the driver assistance device 50 itself may be a terminal device such as a smartphone or a wearable device.

[0052] The driver assistance device 50 includes a communication unit 51, a processing unit 53, and a storage unit 55. The communication unit 51 is an interface for communicating with the management server 110 via a communication network 105. The processing unit 53 is configured with one or more processors such as CPUs. Part or all of the processing unit 53 may be configured with updatable components such as firmware, or it may be a program module executed by commands from the CPU, etc.

[0053] The storage unit 55 consists of one or more memories such as RAM or ROM, and is connected to the processing unit 53 in a communicative manner. However, the number and type of storage units 55 are not particularly limited. The storage unit 55 stores computer programs executed by the processing unit 53, various parameters used in arithmetic processing, detection data, calculation results, and other information. Map data is also stored in the storage unit 55. A portion of the storage unit 55 is used as the work area of ​​the processing unit 53.

[0054] The processing unit 53 includes an acquisition unit 61, an ambient environment detection unit 63, a driver information calculation unit 65, a vehicle information detection unit 67, a driving scene determination unit 69, a communication control unit 71, and a notification processing unit 73. The functions of each of these units are realized by the execution of a computer program by the processor. Some of the acquisition unit 61, ambient environment detection unit 63, driver information calculation unit 65, vehicle information detection unit 67, driving scene determination unit 69, communication control unit 71, and notification processing unit 73 may be configured by hardware such as analog circuits.

[0055] The acquisition unit 61 acquires sensor signals or image data output from the ambient environment sensor 31, vehicle condition sensor 33, position detection sensor 35, and in-vehicle camera 37 at predetermined processing cycles.

[0056] The surrounding environment detection unit 63 detects the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1 based on sensor signals or image data output from the surrounding environment sensor 31. For example, the surrounding environment detection unit 63 extracts feature points from the image data and recognizes objects by matching the pattern of feature points with pre-prepared reference data. The surrounding environment detection unit 63 recognizes various objects, including moving objects such as people, bicycles, motorcycles, and four-wheeled vehicles, as well as artificial or natural stationary objects and lines drawn on roads such as white lines and crosswalks. The surrounding environment detection unit 63 also calculates the position and speed of the recognized object, as well as the distance to the object. The surrounding environment detection unit 63 may also detect information about the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling based on map data and the position information of the vehicle 1.

[0057] The surrounding environment sensor 31 may perform processing to recognize these moving objects and stationary objects. In this case, the driver assistance device 50 acquires measurement information, including the recognition results, from the surrounding environment sensor 31.

[0058] The driver information calculation unit 65 measures the driver's psychological state in a predetermined processing cycle. The driver information calculation unit 65 estimates the driver's psychological state from the facial expression muscles of the driver obtained from the image data of the in-vehicle camera 37. The driver's psychological state may also be measured using a camera attached to the driver, or it may be measured based on sensor signals from a biosensor that detects biological information such as blood pressure and heart rate.

[0059] The vehicle information detection unit 67 detects various vehicle state information. Specifically, the vehicle information detection unit 67 calculates the direction of movement of the vehicle 1 based on the position information input from the position detection sensor 35. The vehicle information detection unit 67 also detects the driving state of the vehicle 1 based on the sensor signals output from the vehicle state sensor 33. Specifically, the vehicle information detection unit 67 detects the speed, acceleration, angular velocity, steering angle, accelerator opening, and brake operation amount of the vehicle 1. The vehicle information detection unit 67 also detects whether the turn signals are on or off.

[0060] The driving scene determination unit 69 determines whether or not vehicle 1 is passing through a predetermined specific driving scene based on information about the surrounding environment of vehicle 1. Specifically, the driving scene determination unit 69 compares the road structure in the surrounding environment of vehicle 1 and the traffic conditions representing the relative positions of surrounding traffic participants present around vehicle 1, as detected by the surrounding environment detection unit 63, with the conditions set as a specific driving scene. If the road structure and traffic conditions match the specific driving scene, the unit determines that vehicle 1 is passing through the specific driving scene. Road structure refers to information about roads, such as the number of road lanes (driving lanes), merging conditions, intersection conditions, radius of curvature, road width or lane width, road type (general road, intercity expressway, urban expressway, residential area road or shopping street, etc.), and the type of road or lane boundary.

[0061] Furthermore, after determining that vehicle 1 is passing through a specific driving scene, the driving scene determination unit 69 determines whether vehicle 1 has completed passing through the specific driving scene. Specifically, the driving scene determination unit 69 determines that vehicle 1 has completed passing through a specific driving scene when vehicle 1 has left the area of ​​road structure or traffic conditions corresponding to the specific driving scene.

[0062] The communication control unit 71 transmits vehicle measurement data, including driver psychological state information and vehicle state information, to the management server 110 at predetermined timings. Specifically, the communication control unit 71 transmits vehicle measurement data to the management server 110 when the driving scene determination unit 69 determines that vehicle 1 is passing through a specific driving scene, and when it determines that vehicle 1 has passed through a specific driving scene.

[0063] The notification processing unit 73 receives notification information transmitted from the management server 110 and causes the notification device 43 to notify the driver of the notification information. In this embodiment, the notification processing unit 73 acquires notification information from the management server 110 before and after the vehicle 1 passes through a specific driving scene, and notifies the driver of the acquired notification information.

[0064] (1-2-3. Processing Operation) Next, we will explain in detail the processing operation of the driver assistance device 50.

[0065] Figures 7 to 11 show flowcharts of the processing operations performed by the driver assistance device 50. Figure 7 is a flowchart of the routine processing operations performed by the driver assistance device 50.

[0066] When the in-vehicle system including the driver assistance device 50 is activated (step S21), the processing unit 53 records information that identifies the driver of the vehicle 1 (driver identification information) (step S23). The driver information calculation unit 65 of the processing unit 53 acquires information that identifies the driver and records the acquired driver identification information. For example, the driver information calculation unit 65 identifies the driver based on the facial feature quantities of the driver acquired from the image data of the in-vehicle camera 37 and records identification information such as an identification number assigned to each driver. The driver information calculation unit 65 may also identify the driver based on information input by the driver.

[0067] Next, the driver information calculation unit 65 starts the process of calculating and recording vehicle status information and driver psychological status information (step S25). Specifically, the driver information calculation unit 65 estimates the driver's psychological status from the facial expressions of the driver obtained from the image data of the in-vehicle camera 37. The vehicle information detection unit 67 of the processing unit 53 calculates the direction of movement of the vehicle 1 based on the position information input from the position detection sensor 35. For example, the vehicle information detection unit 67 can calculate the direction of movement of the vehicle 1 based on the time change of position information input at each predetermined processing cycle. The vehicle information detection unit 67 also detects the driving state of the vehicle 1 based on the sensor signals output from the vehicle status sensor 33. Specifically, the vehicle information detection unit 67 detects the speed, acceleration, angular velocity, steering angle, accelerator opening, and brake operation amount of the vehicle 1. The vehicle information detection unit 67 also detects whether the turn signals are on or off.

[0068] The process of calculating and recording vehicle status information and driver status information, which is initiated in step S25, is subsequently executed repeatedly in predetermined processing cycles.

[0069] Next, the processing unit 53 performs support processing to assist the driver in driving the vehicle 1 (step S27). In this embodiment, as support processing, the processing unit 53 performs notification processing to notify the driver of notification information to assist in driving.

[0070] Figure 8 shows a flowchart of the support process. First, the driving scene determination unit 69 of the processing unit 53 determines whether or not vehicle 1 passes through a specific driving scene (step S31). Specifically, the driving scene determination unit 69 compares the road structure in the environment surrounding vehicle 1 and the traffic conditions representing the relative positions of surrounding traffic participants present around vehicle 1, as detected by the surrounding environment detection unit 63, with the conditions set as a specific driving scene, and determines that vehicle 1 passes through the specific driving scene if the road structure and traffic conditions correspond to the specific driving scene. For example, the driving scene determination unit 69 may determine that vehicle 1 passes through the specific driving scene when it detects a road structure and traffic conditions that correspond to the specific driving scene, or it may determine that vehicle 1 passes through the specific driving scene when vehicle 1 approaches the corresponding road structure and traffic conditions to a certain distance. The certain distance may be a fixed value set to, for example, 30 to 50 m, or it may be a value that changes according to the speed of vehicle 1.

[0071] If the driving scene determination unit 69 does not determine that vehicle 1 is passing through a specific driving scene (S31 / No), it repeats the determination in step S31. On the other hand, if the driving scene determination unit 69 determines that vehicle 1 is passing through a specific driving scene (S31 / Yes), the processing unit 53 executes pre-passage processing (step S33). Pre-passage processing is support processing performed before vehicle 1 passes through a specific driving scene.

[0072] Figure 9 shows a flowchart of the pre-processing steps. In the pre-passage processing, the communication control unit 71 of the processing unit 53 transmits information indicating that vehicle 1 is passing through a specific driving scene, along with vehicle measurement data and driver identification information, to the management server 110 (step S41). The vehicle measurement data includes the location information of vehicle 1, information on the surrounding environment detected immediately beforehand, vehicle status information, and driver psychological state information. In other words, the driver assistance device 50 transmits information to the management server 110 indicating the location of vehicle 1 in the specific driving scene, the driving state of vehicle 1, the psychological state of the driver, and the situation of the surrounding traffic participants.

[0073] Next, the notification processing unit 73 of the processing unit 53 receives support information transmitted from the management server 110 (step S43). The support information transmitted by the management server 110 is information set based on the difference that appears in the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles when the driver of vehicle 1 changes their driving behavior or does not change it when passing through a specific driving scene, as will be described later. The support information transmitted by the management server 110 in the pre-passage processing includes support information for recommended driving behavior that does not stimulate drivers of other vehicles whose psychological state is likely to change negatively when vehicle 1 passes through a specific driving scene.

[0074] Next, the notification processing unit 73 notifies the driver of the received support information (step S45). Specifically, the notification processing unit 73 controls the operation of the notification device 43 and notifies the driver of the support information for recommended driving behavior received from the management server 110. This allows the notification processing unit 73 to encourage the driver to take driving actions that do not provoke other drivers whose psychological state is likely to change negatively.

[0075] Returning to Figure 8, once the pre-processing is performed, the driving scene determination unit 69 then determines whether or not vehicle 1 has passed through a specific driving scene (step S35). For example, the driving scene determination unit 69 determines that vehicle 1 has passed through a specific driving scene when vehicle 1 leaves the area of ​​road structure or traffic conditions corresponding to the specific driving scene determined in step S31.

[0076] If the driving scene determination unit 69 does not determine that vehicle 1 has passed through the specific driving scene (S35 / No), it repeats the determination in step S35. On the other hand, if the driving scene determination unit 69 determines that vehicle 1 has passed through the specific driving scene (S35 / Yes), the processing unit 53 executes post-passage processing (step S37). Post-passage processing is support processing performed after vehicle 1 has passed through the specific driving scene.

[0077] Figure 10 shows a flowchart of the post-processing steps. In the post-passage processing, the communication control unit 71 determines whether the driver changed their driving behavior while vehicle 1 was passing through a specific driving scene (step S51). For example, based on vehicle measurement data collected and recorded while vehicle 1 was passing through a specific driving scene, the communication control unit 71 determines whether vehicle 1 slowed down or stopped before a pedestrian crossing, or yielded the space in front of another vehicle. The content to be determined is predetermined according to the specific driving scene.

[0078] If the communication control unit 71 determines that the driver has changed their driving behavior while the vehicle 1 is passing through a specific driving scene (S51 / Yes), it records the vehicle measurement data collected while the vehicle 1 is passing through the specific driving scene as the vehicle measurement data at the time the driver changed their driving behavior (step S53), and proceeds to step S59.

[0079] On the other hand, if the communication control unit 71 does not determine that the driver changed their driving behavior while vehicle 1 was passing through the specific driving scene (S51 / No), the communication control unit 71 determines whether or not vehicle 1 was affected by a change in the driving behavior of another vehicle while passing through the specific driving scene (step S55). For example, based on the vehicle measurement data collected and recorded while vehicle 1 was passing through the specific driving scene, the communication control unit 71 determines whether vehicle 1 suddenly decelerated because another vehicle slowed down or stopped before a pedestrian crossing, or whether vehicle 1 was given space in front of it by another vehicle. The content of the determination is predetermined according to the specific driving scene.

[0080] If the communication control unit 71 determines that vehicle 1 has been affected by a change in the driving behavior of another vehicle while passing through a specific driving scene (S55 / Yes), it records the vehicle measurement data collected while vehicle 1 was passing through the specific driving scene as vehicle measurement data when it was affected by a change in the driving behavior of another vehicle (step S57), and proceeds to step S59.

[0081] On the other hand, if the communication control unit 71 does not determine that vehicle 1 was affected by changes in the driving behavior of other vehicles while passing through the specific driving scene (S55 / No), the process proceeds to step S59. In step S59, the communication control unit 71 transmits to the management server 110 information indicating that vehicle 1 has completed passing through the specific driving scene, along with vehicle measurement data collected and recorded while vehicle 1 passed through the specific driving scene (step S59). Here, the vehicle measurement data transmitted to the management server 110 is either vehicle measurement data when the driver changed their driving behavior, vehicle measurement data when vehicle 1 was affected by changes in the driving behavior of other vehicles, or vehicle measurement data when the driver did not change their driving behavior and was not affected by changes in the driving behavior of other vehicles.

[0082] The vehicle measurement data includes time-series data of the vehicle 1's location, information on the surrounding environment detected immediately beforehand, vehicle status information, and driver psychological state information. In other words, the driver assistance device 50 transmits information to the management server 110 that, while vehicle 1 is passing through a specific driving scene, shows what driving actions the driver selected, what the vehicle 1 is in while it is driving, what the driver's psychological state is, and what the situation is like for the surrounding traffic participants.

[0083] Next, the notification processing unit 73 of the processing unit 53 receives advice information transmitted from the management server 110 (step S61). The notification information transmitted by the management server 110 is advice information set based on the psychological state of the drivers of other vehicles while vehicle 1 is passing through a specific driving scene, as will be described later. The advice information transmitted by the management server 110 in the post-passage processing includes information indicating how vehicle 1 affected the psychological state of the drivers of other vehicles while passing through the specific driving scene, or what driving actions should have been taken.

[0084] Next, the notification processing unit 73 notifies the driver of the received advice information (step S63). Specifically, the notification processing unit 73 controls the operation of the notification device 43 and notifies the driver of the advice information received from the management server 110. This allows the driver to know how their driving behavior while passing through a specific driving scene affected the psychological state of other vehicle drivers, or what driving behavior they should take the next time they pass through the same specific driving scene.

[0085] Returning to Figure 7, after the support process is executed, the processing unit 53 determines whether the in-vehicle system has stopped (step S29). If it does not determine that the in-vehicle system has stopped (S29 / No), it repeats the support process in step S27. On the other hand, if the processing unit 53 determines that the in-vehicle system has stopped (S29 / Yes), it stops processing.

[0086] As described above, when the vehicle 1 encounters a specific driving scene, the driver assistance device 50 obtains support information from the management server 110 before the vehicle passes through the specific driving scene and notifies the driver of recommended driving behavior. Furthermore, after the vehicle 1 has passed through the specific driving scene, the driver assistance device 50 obtains advice information from the management server 110 based on the driver's driving behavior during the passage through the specific driving scene and notifies the driver of the advice information. In addition, each time the vehicle passes through a specific driving scene, the driver assistance device 50 transmits the vehicle measurement data collected during the passage through the specific driving scene to the management server 110.

[0087] <1-3. Management Server> Next, we will explain the management server 110 in detail.

[0088] The management server 110 functions as a device that sets information to support vehicle operation by having one or more CPUs or other processors execute a computer program. The computer program is a computer program that causes the processor to execute the operations that the management server 110 should perform, as described later. The computer program executed by the processor may be recorded on a recording medium that functions as a memory 115 provided in the management server 110, or it may be recorded on a recording medium built into the management server 110 or on any external recording medium that can be attached to the management server 110.

[0089] Recording media for storing computer programs may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, and Blu-ray®; magneto-optical media such as floppy disks; memory elements such as RAM and ROM; flash memory such as USB memory and SSDs; and other media capable of storing programs.

[0090] (1-3-1. Functional Configuration) Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the management server 110. The management server 110 comprises a communication unit 111, a processing unit 113, a storage unit 115, and a collected data storage unit 117. The communication unit 111 is an interface for communicating with the driver assistance device 50 via the communication network 105. The processing unit 113 comprises one or more CPUs and performs psychological state calculation processing and driver assistance processing.

[0091] The storage unit 115 comprises one or more memories and stores computer programs executed by the processing unit 113, various parameters used in arithmetic processing, and information on calculation results. The storage unit 115 may be a hard disk, a magnetic medium such as a floppy disk and magnetic tape, an optical recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD and Blu-ray (registered trademark), a magneto-optical medium such as a floppy disk, a memory element such as RAM and ROM, a flash memory such as a USB memory and an SSD, or other recording media.

[0092] The data collection storage unit 117 stores vehicle measurement data transmitted from terminal devices (driving assistance devices) installed in multiple vehicles, measured in predetermined specific driving scenes. The data collection storage unit 117 may be a hard disk, a magnetic medium such as a floppy disk and magnetic tape, an optical recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD and Blu-ray (registered trademark), a magneto-optical medium such as a floppy disk, a flash memory such as a USB memory and an SSD, or other recording media.

[0093] The collected data storage unit 117 stores vehicle measurement data of vehicle 1 collected while vehicle 1 passes through a predetermined specific driving scene, along with vehicle measurement data of other vehicles present in that specific driving scene, in association with each other. The data stored in the collected data storage unit 117 will be explained in detail later.

[0094] The processing unit 113 comprises a communication control unit 121, a psychological state calculation unit 123, and a driving support processing unit 125. The functions of each of these units are realized by the execution of computer programs by the processor.

[0095] The communication control unit 121 communicates with the driver assistance device (terminal device) 50 installed in the vehicle 1 and controls the transmission and reception of various data or information. Specifically, the communication control unit 121 communicates with the driver assistance device 50 to receive information or vehicle measurement data indicating that the vehicle 1 is passing through a predetermined specific driving scene, and also transmits notification information.

[0096] The psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates psychological state values ​​that indicate the change in the psychological state of each driver of other vehicles present in a specific driving scene. These values ​​include a first psychological state value for when the driver of the vehicle to be supported changes their driving behavior in a predetermined specific driving scene, and a second psychological state value for when the driver of the vehicle to be supported does not change their driving behavior in a predetermined specific driving scene. The psychological state calculation unit 123 also calculates a psychological state evaluation value based on the difference between the first and second psychological state values, which indicates the impact of the driving behavior of the vehicle to be supported on the psychological state of the drivers of other vehicles.

[0097] The driver assistance processing unit 125 executes processes to support the driving of the vehicle to be supported 1 based on the psychological state evaluation value calculated by the psychological state calculation unit 123. In this embodiment, the driver assistance processing unit 125 sets notification information to support the driving of the vehicle to be supported 1. The notification information consists of support information that is notified before the vehicle to be supported 1 passes through a predetermined specific driving scene, and advice information that is notified after the vehicle to be supported 1 passes through a predetermined specific driving scene. The set notification information is transmitted to the driver assistance device 50 by the communication control unit 121.

[0098] (1-3-2. Processing Operation) Figure 12 shows a flowchart of the processing operation by the management server 110. The flowchart shown in Figure 12 is executed repeatedly at predetermined processing cycles.

[0099] First, the communication control unit 121 receives data transmitted from each of the driver assistance devices (terminal devices) 50 installed in multiple vehicles 1 (step S71). If any of the driver assistance devices (terminal devices) 50 perform the process of transmitting information indicating that vehicle 1 is passing through a predetermined specific driving scene and vehicle measurement data as described in step S41 above, the communication control unit 121 receives this information and data.

[0100] Next, the psychological state calculation unit 123 determines whether it has acquired information indicating that a predetermined specific driving scene is to be passed through from the driver assistance device (terminal device) 50 of one of the vehicles (supported vehicle) 1 equipped with the driver assistance device 50 (step S73). If the psychological state calculation unit 123 does not determine that it has acquired information indicating that a predetermined specific driving scene is to be passed through from the driver assistance device 50 of one of the vehicles (supported vehicle) 1 (S73 / No), it returns to step S71. On the other hand, if the psychological state calculation unit 123 determines that it has acquired information indicating that a predetermined specific driving scene is to be passed through from the driver assistance device 50 of one of the vehicles (supported vehicle) 1 (S73 / Yes), it executes the pre-passage support information setting process (step S75). The pre-passage support information setting process is a process of setting support information to be notified to the driver of the supported vehicle 1 before the supported vehicle 1 passes through the predetermined specific driving scene.

[0101] Figure 13 shows a flowchart of the pre-passage support information setting process.

[0102] The psychological state calculation unit 123 identifies surrounding traffic participants present in a specific driving scene that the vehicle to be assisted 1 is about to pass through, based on the location information transmitted from the driver assistance device 50 of each vehicle 1, and acquires vehicle measurement data from the driver assistance device 50 of each surrounding traffic participant (step S91).

[0103] The target surrounding traffic participants are defined according to specific driving scenarios. For example, the target surrounding traffic participants are identified as other vehicles located within a predetermined area defined according to the specific driving scenario, based on the position of the supported vehicle 1. For example, the predetermined area may be an area within a certain distance from the supported vehicle 1, or it may be an area within a distance that the supported vehicle 1 can reach in a predetermined time, determined according to the speed of the supported vehicle 1. Alternatively, the target surrounding traffic participants may be identified as a predetermined number of other vehicles located within the above predetermined area, ordered by proximity to the supported vehicle 1. This ensures that other vehicles with a low impact on the psychological state are not included in the calculation of the psychological state evaluation value, allowing for appropriate support for the supported vehicle 1.

[0104] Next, the psychological state calculation unit 123 extracts multiple vehicle measurement data previously collected in the same specific driving scene as the vehicle to be supported 1 is about to pass through, from the vehicle measurement data stored in the collected data storage unit 117 (step S93). The extracted vehicle measurement data is vehicle measurement data that was previously transmitted from the driver assistance devices 50 of traffic participants present in the specific driving scene to the management server 110 and stored in association with each other. The same specific driving scene is not limited to a specific driving scene at the same location on the map, but refers to a specific scene in which the road structure and traffic environment such as the location and speed of surrounding traffic participants are judged to be within a predetermined error.

[0105] The multiple vehicle measurement data extracted here includes vehicle measurement data for both cases in the specific driving scenario where a particular vehicle changes its driving behavior and cases where it does not change its driving behavior (continues its driving behavior).

[0106] For example, in the scenario where lanes merge as described above (Figure 2), the extracted vehicle measurement data includes data for both cases where a specific vehicle (vehicle 210b in Figure 2) traveling at the front of the merging lane yields space in front of it to another vehicle (vehicle 210e in Figure 2) traveling in the merging lane, and when it does not. Similarly, in the scenario where vehicles cross a pedestrian crossing as described above (Figure 3), the extracted vehicle measurement data includes data for both cases where a specific vehicle (vehicle 200a in Figure 3) traveling at the front of a line of vehicles approaching the pedestrian crossing slows down or stops before the pedestrian crossing, and when it does not.

[0107] Next, the psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates a first psychological state value based on the extracted vehicle measurement data, which indicates the change in the psychological state of each driver of other vehicles when the driver of the vehicle to be supported changes their driving behavior while passing through a specific driving scene (step S95).

[0108] Specifically, the psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates a first psychological state value Cx1_i, which indicates the change in the psychological state of each driver of other vehicles, based on the vehicle measurement data extracted from the vehicle measurement data when the driver of a specific vehicle changes their driving behavior while passing through a specific driving scene. For example, if there are five other vehicles as participants in the surrounding traffic in addition to the vehicle being supported 1 in a specific driving scene, the psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates a first psychological state value Cx1_i (i=1,2...5) for each of the drivers of the other vehicles, which indicates the change in their psychological state.

[0109] The first psychological state value Cx1_i represents the change (difference) in the psychological state of each driver of other vehicles. In this embodiment, the psychological state is calculated on an 11-point scale from -5 to 5, with a larger absolute value for positive values ​​indicating a more positive psychological state. Therefore, for the psychological state value Cx, a larger absolute value for negative values ​​indicates a more negative change in psychological state. In other words, the first psychological state value Cx1_i does not provide an overall evaluation of the psychological state of all drivers of other vehicles while the supported vehicle 1 passes through a specific driving scene, but rather indicates how much the psychological state of each driver of other vehicles changes due to the change in the driving behavior of the supported vehicle 1.

[0110] In the example of the lane merging scenario described above (Figure 2), a change in vehicle driving behavior corresponds to a situation where the vehicle leading the lane being merged into (210b) slows down or stops to yield the space in front of its vehicle to the vehicle traveling in the merging lane (210e). Similarly, in the example of the crossing of a pedestrian crossing described above (Figure 3), a change in vehicle driving behavior corresponds to a situation where the vehicle leading the line of vehicles (200a) slows down or stops before the pedestrian crossing to give priority to pedestrians crossing.

[0111] Next, the psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates a second psychological state value based on the extracted vehicle measurement data, which indicates the change in the psychological state of each driver of the other vehicles if the driver of the vehicle to be supported does not change their driving behavior while passing through a specific driving scene (step S97).

[0112] Specifically, the psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates a second psychological state value Cx2_i, which indicates the change in the psychological state of each driver of other vehicles, based on the vehicle measurement data from the extracted measurement data when the driver of a specific vehicle does not change their driving behavior while passing through a specific driving scene. The second psychological state value Cx2_i indicates how much the psychological state of each driver of other vehicles will change if the driving behavior of the vehicle being supported 1 continues. The calculated second psychological state value Cx2_i, like the first psychological state value Cx1_i, includes the psychological state values ​​of the drivers of vehicles that passed through the specific driving scene in the same position as the other vehicles currently present in the specific driving scene.

[0113] In the example of the lane merging scenario described above (Figure 3), the case where the vehicle's driving behavior does not change corresponds to a situation where the vehicle (210b) leading the lane being merged into (210b) continues driving without yielding the space in front of its vehicle to the vehicle (210e) traveling in the merging lane. Also, in the example of the crosswalk scenario described above (Figure 3), the case where the vehicle's driving behavior does not change corresponds to a situation where the vehicle (200a) leading the line of vehicles continues driving without stopping before the crosswalk, even though there are pedestrians approaching the crosswalk.

[0114] Next, the psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates a psychological state evaluation value CXi, which represents the difference between the first psychological state value Cx1_i and the second psychological state value Cx2_i for each of the drivers of the other vehicles (step S99). In this embodiment, the psychological state evaluation value CXi is given by the following formula. CXi = Cx1_i - Cx2_i i is the identifier of the driver of another vehicle.

[0115] The psychological state evaluation value CXi indicates the change in the psychological state of each driver of other vehicles, showing how and to what extent the psychological state of surrounding drivers changes due to a change in the driving behavior of a particular vehicle. Basically, when a particular vehicle yields the space in front of another vehicle or stops before a pedestrian crossing, the psychological state of the other vehicle's driver is expected to change positively. Therefore, the larger the absolute value of the psychological state evaluation value CXi, which is obtained by subtracting the second psychological state value Cx2_i (a negative value) from the first psychological state value Cx1_i (a positive value), the more negative the change in the psychological state of the other vehicle's driver.

[0116] At this time, the psychological state calculation unit 123 uses the first psychological state value Cx1_i and the second psychological state value Cx2_i obtained when the same driver passes through a specific driving scene in the same position, and calculates the driver's psychological state evaluation value CXi by subtracting the second psychological state value Cx2_i from the first psychological state value Cx1_i. The fact that the vehicle measurement data belongs to the same driver is identified based on the driver identification information associated with each vehicle measurement data.

[0117] Next, the driver assistance processing unit 125 extracts attention drivers whose psychological state is likely to deteriorate based on the calculated psychological state evaluation value Cxi (step S101). The attention drivers extracted here are drivers extracted based on vehicle measurement data collected in the past, and do not ask whether they are drivers of other vehicles present in the specific driving scene that the vehicle to be assisted 1 is currently about to pass through. In this embodiment, the driver assistance processing unit 125 extracts attention drivers whose psychological state changes negatively by a predetermined standard or more.

[0118] Specifically, the driver assistance processing unit 125 extracts one or more drivers whose psychological state evaluation value CXi is positive and whose absolute value is frequently above a predetermined threshold, as drivers to be watched when passing through specific driving scenes, from their respective perspectives. The predetermined threshold and frequency may be set in advance, or they may be values ​​set by the driver of the vehicle to be supported 1. Alternatively, the predetermined threshold and frequency may be values ​​set by the computer according to the driving skills or driving characteristics of the driver of the vehicle to be supported 1.

[0119] Next, the driver assistance processing unit 125 determines whether or not there are drivers who need to be careful among the drivers of each other vehicle present in the current specific driving scene (step S103). Specifically, the driver assistance processing unit 125 determines whether or not the drivers of each other vehicle present in the current specific driving scene have been identified as drivers who need to be careful when passing through the specific driving scene in the same position.

[0120] For example, in the scenario where lanes merge as described above (Figure 2), the driver assistance processing unit 125 determines whether the driver of vehicle (210e) that is driving at the front of the merging lane and is being given space by a specific vehicle (210b) has been identified as a driver to be aware of when driving in the same position. The same applies to the drivers of the vehicles following vehicle (210f, 210g) that are being given space by vehicle (210e), and the drivers of the vehicles following vehicle (210c, 210d) that are giving space to the specific vehicle (210b) that is giving space to another vehicle (210e).

[0121] Furthermore, in the example of the scene where vehicles cross a pedestrian crossing (Figure 3) described above, the driver assistance processing unit 125 determines whether the drivers of the vehicles following the specific vehicle (200a) at the front of the convoy (200b, 200c) have been identified as attentive drivers in the same position. It then calculates a psychological state value. The same applies to the driver of the vehicle (200d) that is stopped before the pedestrian crossing in the oncoming lane.

[0122] The driver currently present in a specific driving scene is identified based on the driver identification information associated with each vehicle's measurement data.

[0123] If the driver assistance processing unit 125 determines that there is a driver who is paying attention to the other vehicles present in the current specific driving scene (S103 / Yes), it sets a driving behavior that reduces the degree of deterioration of the driver's psychological state as a recommended driving behavior (step S105). For example, the driver assistance processing unit 125 identifies the vehicle measurement data from multiple vehicle measurement data when the driver paying attention passes through the specific driving scene in the same position, which minimizes the driver's psychological state evaluation value CXi, and sets the driving behavior of that specific vehicle as a recommended driving behavior.

[0124] If there are multiple drivers who qualify as "attention drivers," the driver assistance processing unit 125 may, for example, set the driving behavior of a specific vehicle that minimizes the absolute value of the sum of the psychological state evaluation values ​​CXi of all attention drivers as the recommended driving behavior. Alternatively, the driver assistance processing unit 125 may set the driving behavior of a specific vehicle that minimizes the absolute value of the psychological state evaluation value CXi of the attention driver whose psychological state evaluation value CXi is the largest as the recommended driving behavior.

[0125] On the other hand, if the driver assistance processing unit 125 does not determine that there is a driver who is attentive to other vehicles present in the current specific driving scene (S103 / No), it sets the driving behavior that causes the least deterioration in the psychological state of each of the other vehicle drivers as the recommended driving behavior (step S105). For example, the driver assistance processing unit 125 sets the driving behavior that results in the smallest sum of the psychological state evaluation values ​​Cxi of each of the other vehicle drivers as the recommended driving behavior. Alternatively, the driver assistance processing unit 125 may set the driving behavior that results in the smallest maximum value among the psychological state evaluation values ​​Cxi of each of the other vehicle drivers as the recommended driving behavior.

[0126] Returning to Figure 12, the driver assistance processing unit 125 transmits assistance information to the driver assistance device 50 of the vehicle to be assisted 1 that is attempting to pass through a specific driving scene according to the set recommended driving behavior (step S77). The assistance information includes at least information on the recommended driving behavior, but may also include either or both of the following: location information of the attention driver and information on the attention driver's psychological state evaluation value CXi, or information indicating how the recommended driving behavior will affect the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles in the vicinity.

[0127] The notification processing unit 73 of the driver assistance device 50, upon receiving the support information, notifies the driver of the received support information. This allows the driver to take driving actions that do not disturb other drivers in specific driving situations.

[0128] Next, the psychological state calculation unit 123 executes the post-passage advice information setting process (step S79). The post-passage advice information setting process is the process of setting advice information to be notified to the driver of the supported vehicle 1 after the supported vehicle 1 has passed through a predetermined specific driving scene.

[0129] Figure 15 shows a flowchart of the post-pass advice information setting process. The psychological state calculation unit 123 acquires information from the driver assistance device 50 of the vehicle to be assisted that indicates the completion of passing through a specific driving scene (step S111).

[0130] Next, the psychological state calculation unit 123 acquires the driver assistance devices 50 of surrounding traffic participants present in the specific driving scene, and vehicle measurement data recorded while the vehicle to be supported 1 was passing through the specific driving scene (step S113). The traffic participants to be targeted are the vehicle to be supported 1 and the surrounding traffic participants identified in step S91.

[0131] The psychological state calculation unit 123 sends a message to the driver assistance device 50 of the surrounding traffic participant requesting the transmission of vehicle measurement data, and receives the vehicle measurement data in return. At that time, the psychological state calculation unit 123 sends a message requesting the transmission of vehicle measurement data, specifying the measured time (from start time to end time). The vehicle measurement data of the vehicle to be assisted 1 is acquired along with information indicating the completion of passing through a specific driving scene. The vehicle measurement data of the vehicle to be assisted 1 is acquired along with information indicating whether the vehicle measurement data is from when the driver changed their driving behavior while passing through the specific driving scene, or from when the driver did not change their driving behavior.

[0132] Next, the psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates the psychological state evaluation value CXi for each driver of other vehicles based on the acquired vehicle measurement data of the traffic participant and past vehicle measurement data stored in the collected data storage unit 117 (step S115).

[0133] Figure 16 shows a flowchart of the psychological state evaluation value calculation process in step S115. First, the psychological state calculation unit 123 determines whether the vehicle measurement data acquired from the driver assistance device 50 of the vehicle to be assisted 1 is vehicle measurement data from when the driver changed their driving behavior or from when the driver did not change their driving behavior (step S121).

[0134] If the psychological state calculation unit 123 determines that the vehicle measurement data is vehicle measurement data from when the driver changed their driving behavior (S121 / Yes), it uses the acquired measurement data to calculate the first psychological state value Cx1_i for each driver of the other vehicle in accordance with the processing in step S95 described above (step S123). The psychological state calculation unit 123 also reads the calculation result of the second psychological state value Cx2_i for each driver of the other vehicle, which was calculated in step S97 of the pre-pass support information setting processing (step S125). If there is no calculation result for the second psychological state value Cx2_i for each driver of the other vehicle, the psychological state calculation unit 123 may use the average value of the second psychological state value Cx2_i of drivers of other vehicles who drove in the same specific driving scene and in the same position as a substitute value.

[0135] Then, the psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates a psychological state evaluation value CXi based on the first psychological state value Cx1_i that was calculated and the second psychological state value Cx2_i that was read out, in accordance with the process of step S99 described above (step S131).

[0136] On the other hand, if the psychological state calculation unit 123 does not determine that the vehicle measurement data is vehicle measurement data when the driver changed their driving behavior (S121 / No), it uses the acquired measurement data to calculate a second psychological state value Cx2_i for each driver of the other vehicle in accordance with the processing in step S97 of the pre-pass support information setting process (step S127). The psychological state calculation unit 123 also reads out the first psychological state value Cx1_i for each driver of the other vehicle, which was calculated in step S95 above (step S129). Then, based on the read first psychological state value Cx1_i and the calculated second psychological state value Cx2_i, the psychological state calculation unit 123 calculates a psychological state evaluation value CXi in accordance with the processing in step S99 above (step S131).

[0137] Returning to Figure 15, the driver assistance processing unit 125 sets advice information to be notified to the driver of the vehicle to be supported 1 based on the calculated psychological state evaluation value CXi (step S117). The advice information is information regarding the impact on the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles due to changes in or non-change in the driving behavior of the driver of the vehicle to be supported 1, and includes information regarding the impact on the psychological state of each driver of the other vehicles due to the driving behavior performed by the driver of the vehicle to be supported 1. For example, the driver assistance processing unit 125 may set the psychological state evaluation value CXi as advice information in order to quantitatively show the impact on the psychological state. Alternatively, the psychological state calculation unit 123 may calculate the sum of the psychological state evaluation values ​​CXi of each driver of the other vehicles and set it as advice information.

[0138] Next, the driver assistance processing unit 125 associates the vehicle measurement data of the vehicle to be assisted 1 and the surrounding traffic participants acquired in step S113 and stores it in the collected data storage unit 117 (step S119).

[0139] Returning to Figure 12, the driver assistance processing unit 125 transmits the set advice information to the driver assistance device 50 of the vehicle to be assisted 1 (step S81). The notification processing unit 73 of the driver assistance device 50, upon receiving the advice information, notifies the driver of the received advice information. This allows the driver to know how their driving behavior while passing through a specific driving scene contributed to the psychological state of other vehicle drivers, or what driving behavior they should take the next time they pass through the same specific driving scene.

[0140] <1-4. Effects> As described above, the driver assistance system 100 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure calculates a psychological state evaluation value based on vehicle measurement data, which indicates the impact on the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles due to changes in the driver's driving behavior when the vehicle to be supported 1 passes through a specific driving scene, and assists the driving of the vehicle to be supported based on this psychological state evaluation value. The calculated psychological state evaluation value indicates the change in the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles in the surrounding area present in the specific driving scene due to the driving behavior of the driver of the vehicle to be supported 1. According to this embodiment, it is possible to assist the driver of the vehicle to be supported 1 in taking altruistic driving actions that do not provoke other traffic participants.

[0141] Furthermore, the driver assistance system 100 according to this embodiment notifies the driver of recommended driving behaviors when passing through a specific driving scene, based on past measurement data, before the vehicle to be assisted 1 passes through that specific driving scene. Therefore, the driver can take altruistic driving actions that do not provoke other traffic participants when passing through a specific driving scene. In addition, the driver assistance system 100 according to this embodiment can also identify attentive drivers whose psychological state is likely to deteriorate before the vehicle to be assisted 1 passes through a specific driving scene, and notify the driver of recommended driving behaviors that do not particularly provoke attentive drivers. As a result, the driver can take driving actions that can avoid traffic troubles when passing through a specific driving scene.

[0142] Furthermore, the driver assistance system 100 according to this embodiment notifies the driver of advice information regarding the impact of the driving actions taken by the driver of the vehicle 1 on the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles after the vehicle 1 has passed through a specific driving scene. Therefore, the driver can learn how their driving actions affected the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles around them, and learn what driving actions they should take in the future.

[0143] <<2. Second Embodiment>> Next, a driver assistance system according to a second embodiment will be described.

[0144] The driver assistance system according to the first embodiment described above was a system that supported the driver's manual driving of the vehicle to be assisted. However, the driver assistance system of this disclosure can also be applied as a system that supports the automated driving of the vehicle to be assisted. The following describes the driver assistance system according to the second embodiment, mainly focusing on the differences from the driver assistance system according to the first embodiment.

[0145] <2-1. Basic Configuration of the Driver Assistance System> The basic configuration of the driver assistance system according to this embodiment can be configured in the same way as the basic configuration of the driver assistance system according to the first embodiment shown in Figure 1.

[0146] In the driver assistance system according to this embodiment, the vehicle to be assisted 1 is configured to perform automatic driving control. When the vehicle to be assisted 1 encounters a specific driving scene, the management server 110 sets recommended driving actions based on past measurement data before passing through the specific driving scene and transmits support information to the driver assistance device 50 of the vehicle to be assisted 1. Upon receiving the support information, the driver assistance device 50 sets the driving conditions for automatic driving of the vehicle to be assisted 1 based on the recommended driving action information and outputs the driving condition information to the vehicle control unit 41.

[0147] Figure 17 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a driver assistance device (terminal device) 50 of a vehicle 1 to which the driver assistance system according to this embodiment can be applied. In this embodiment, the driver assistance device 50 includes a driving condition setting unit 75 instead of a notification processing unit 73. The driving condition setting unit 75 sets the driving conditions for driving the vehicle 1 to automate. Specifically, the driving condition setting unit 75 sets the target vehicle speed or target acceleration / deceleration and the target steering angle or target steering angular velocity of the vehicle 1 to be assisted, according to the recommended driving behavior set by the management server 110, and outputs the information of the set driving conditions to the vehicle control unit 41.

[0148] Since the functional configuration of the management server 110 may be the same as that of the driver assistance system 100 according to the first embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0149] <2-2. Processing Operation of Driving Assistance Systems> Next, the processing operation of the driver assistance device in the driver assistance system according to this embodiment will be described.

[0150] The main routine of the processing operation by the driver assistance device 50 may be the same as the processing operation by the driver assistance device of the driver assistance system according to the first embodiment shown in Figure 7. Of these, the pre-passage processing in step S33 of the flowchart shown in Figure 8 differs from that of the first embodiment. The pre-passage processing by the driver assistance device 50 of the driver assistance system according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 18.

[0151] First, the communication control unit 71 of the processing unit 53 transmits information indicating that vehicle 1 is passing through a specific driving scene, along with vehicle measurement data and driver identification information, to the management server 110 in the same procedure as step S41 of the flowchart shown in Figure 9 (step S41).

[0152] Next, the driving condition setting unit 75 of the processing unit 53 receives support information transmitted from the management server 110 (step S43). The support information transmitted by the management server 110 includes information on recommended driving behaviors that do not disturb the drivers of other vehicles in the vicinity when vehicle 1 passes through a specific driving scene.

[0153] Next, the driving condition setting unit 75 detects the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1 based on the sensor signals or image data output from the surrounding environment sensor 31 (step S46). As a result, the driving condition setting unit 75 recognizes changes in the road structure in the direction of travel of the vehicle to be supported 1, as well as changes in the position, direction of movement, and speed of surrounding traffic participants.

[0154] Next, the driving condition setting unit 75 sets driving conditions in accordance with the changes in the surrounding environment based on the recommended driving behavior information obtained from the management server 110 (step S47). Specifically, the driving condition setting unit 75 sets target acceleration / deceleration and target steering angle velocity in order to achieve driving behavior in accordance with the recommended driving behavior in accordance with the changes in the surrounding environment.

[0155] Next, the driving condition setting unit 75 outputs the set driving condition information to the vehicle control unit 41 (step S48). Upon receiving the driving condition information, the vehicle control unit 41 sets the operation command values ​​for the drive force source 9, the electric steering device 15, and the hydraulic unit 16 based on the driving condition information, and controls the driving of the drive force source 9, the electric steering device 15, and the hydraulic unit 16.

[0156] Next, the driving condition setting unit 75 determines whether the supported vehicle 1 has completed passing through the specific driving scene (step S49). If the driving condition setting unit 75 does not determine that the supported vehicle 1 has completed passing through the specific driving scene (S49 / No), it returns to step S46 and repeats the setting and output of driving conditions. On the other hand, if the driving condition setting unit 75 determines that the supported vehicle 1 has completed passing through the specific driving scene (S49 / Yes), it terminates the pre-passage processing.

[0157] Supported vehicle 1 repeatedly performs the following actions from the time it encounters a driving scene until it completes its passage: detecting the surrounding environment, setting driving conditions, and outputting driving conditions. Specifically, in the example of a driving scene where two driving lanes merge as described above, the recommended driving action is set to leave space in front of the vehicle at the merging point of the lane being merged into, yielding space to other vehicles traveling in the merging lane.

[0158] In this case, the driving condition setting unit 75 sets driving conditions that allow the supported vehicle 1 to maintain a predetermined distance between itself and the preceding vehicle until it approaches a predetermined distance from the merging point. Furthermore, when the supported vehicle 1 approaches a predetermined distance from the merging point, the driving condition setting unit 75 starts decelerating the supported vehicle 1, creating a space between it and the preceding vehicle that allows other vehicles traveling in the merging lane to enter. This action corresponds to an action that changes the driving behavior. At this time, to prevent sudden deceleration, the driving condition setting unit 75 sets a target deceleration within a range below the maximum deceleration. In addition, when the merging is completed by another vehicle entering the space in front of the supported vehicle, the driving condition setting unit 75 sets driving conditions that allow the supported vehicle 1 to maintain a predetermined distance between itself and the other vehicle that has merged.

[0159] <2-3. Effects> As described above, the driver assistance system 100 according to the second embodiment of this disclosure calculates a psychological state evaluation value based on vehicle measurement data, which indicates the impact on the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles due to changes in the driver's driving behavior when the vehicle to be supported 1 passes through a specific driving scene, and assists the driving of the vehicle to be supported based on this psychological state evaluation value. The calculated psychological state evaluation value indicates the change in the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles present in the specific driving scene due to the autonomous driving behavior of the vehicle to be supported 1. According to this embodiment, it is possible to assist the autonomous driving of the vehicle to be supported 1 in taking altruistic driving behavior that does not provoke other traffic participants.

[0160] In particular, the driver assistance system 100 according to this embodiment sets recommended driving behaviors for passing through a specific driving scene based on past measurement data before the vehicle to be assisted 1 passes through that specific driving scene, and sets the driving conditions for automated driving. Therefore, when the vehicle to be assisted 1 passes through a specific driving scene using automated driving, it can take altruistic driving behaviors that do not disturb other traffic participants.

[0161] While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the technology of the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs that various modifications or alterations may be conceived within the scope of the technical idea set forth in the claims, and these will naturally also be understood to fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0162] For example, the information used to calculate the psychological state evaluation value is not limited to the examples described in each of the embodiments above. For example, when calculating the psychological state evaluation value regarding the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles, information on the planned actions of each driver of the other vehicle may be used. For example, the psychological state evaluation value may be calculated using information on the planned actions recorded on the driver's mobile terminal which is communicatively connected to the driver assistance system, and information on the destination and target arrival time set in the vehicle's navigation system. By reflecting information on whether or not the drivers of other vehicles are in a hurry, which is determined from the drivers' planned actions, in the psychological state, the accuracy of estimating the psychological state of each driver of the other vehicle can be improved. Therefore, it is possible to encourage driving behavior that is more realistic and does not provoke other drivers.

[0163] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the management server performed a process to set information for supporting vehicle driving based on various information, but this function may be provided by the driving support device of the vehicle being supported. In addition, some of the functions of the management server and the driving support device described in the above embodiment may be provided by other components.

[0164] Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein can also be realized as a vehicle equipped with the driver assistance system described in the above embodiment, a driver assistance processing method by the driver assistance system, a computer program that causes a computer to function as the above driver assistance system, and a non-temporary tangible recording medium on which the computer program is recorded. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0165] 1: Vehicle 50: Driving assistance devices 100: Driver assistance systems 110: Management Server CXi: Psychological state evaluation score Cx1_i: First psychological state value Cx2_i: Second psychological state value

Claims

1. A driver assistance system that assists in driving a vehicle, A data collection storage unit stores vehicle measurement data, including driver psychological state information relating to the psychological state of the vehicle's driver, which is transmitted from terminal devices installed in each vehicle and measured in predetermined specific driving scenes. The system includes a processing unit that performs processing to support the driving of the vehicle to be supported based on the collected vehicle measurement data, The aforementioned processing unit, A psychological state calculation process calculates psychological state values ​​that indicate the change in the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles present in a predetermined specific driving scene while the supported vehicle is driving in that predetermined specific driving scene, including a first psychological state value when the driver of the supported vehicle changes their driving behavior and a second psychological state value when the driver of the supported vehicle does not change their driving behavior, and calculates a psychological state evaluation value that indicates the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value. Based on the aforementioned psychological state evaluation value, a driving support process is performed to support the driving of the vehicle to be supported. If the driver of the supported vehicle changes their driving behavior while passing through the predetermined specific driving scene, after the supported vehicle has passed through the predetermined specific driving scene, the first psychological state value is calculated based on the vehicle measurement data of the other vehicle measured while passing through the predetermined specific driving scene, and the second psychological state value is calculated based on the vehicle measurement data stored in the collected data storage unit. A driver assistance system that, based on the psychological state evaluation value which shows the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value, notifies the driver of the vehicle being assisted of information that provides feedback to the driver of the vehicle being assisted regarding the impact on the psychological state of the driver of the other vehicle due to a change in the driver's driving behavior.

2. The aforementioned processing unit, In the aforementioned psychological state calculation process, Before the vehicle to be supported passes through the predetermined specific driving scene, the system calculates the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value for the drivers of other vehicles present in the predetermined specific driving scene that the vehicle to be supported is about to pass through, based on the vehicle measurement data stored in the collected data storage unit, and also calculates the psychological state evaluation value. In the aforementioned driving support process, Based on the aforementioned psychological state evaluation value, the driver of the other vehicle whose psychological state changes negatively by more than a predetermined standard is identified as a driver requiring attention, recommended driving behaviors are requested to bring the driver of the vehicle requiring attention's psychological state below the predetermined standard, and information on the recommended driving behaviors is notified to the driver of the vehicle being supported. The driver assistance system according to claim 1.

3. The processing unit is If the driver of the supported vehicle does not change their driving behavior while passing through the predetermined specific driving scene, after the supported vehicle has passed through the predetermined specific driving scene, the first psychological state value is calculated based on the vehicle measurement data stored in the collected data storage unit, and the first psychological state value is also calculated based on the vehicle measurement data of other vehicles measured while passing through the predetermined specific driving scene. Based on the psychological state evaluation value, which shows the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value, information is provided to the driver of the vehicle being supported that provides feedback on the impact on the psychological state of the drivers of other vehicles when the driver of the vehicle being supported changes their driving behavior. The driver assistance system according to claim 1.

4. A driver assistance processing method that assists in the operation of a vehicle, Computers The system collects vehicle measurement data, including driver psychological state information relating to the psychological state of the vehicle's driver, transmitted from terminal devices installed in each vehicle, measured in predetermined specific driving scenes; calculates psychological state values, which indicate changes in the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles present in the predetermined specific driving scene while the supported vehicle is driving in that scene, for a first psychological state value when the supported vehicle's driver changes their driving behavior and a second psychological state value when the supported vehicle's driver does not change their driving behavior; and calculates a psychological state evaluation value that shows the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value. To provide support for driving the vehicle to be supported based on the aforementioned psychological state evaluation value, If the driver of the supported vehicle changes their driving behavior while passing through the predetermined specific driving scene, after the supported vehicle has passed through the predetermined specific driving scene, the first psychological state value is calculated based on the vehicle measurement data of the other vehicle measured while passing through the predetermined specific driving scene, and the second psychological state value is calculated based on the vehicle measurement data collected in the past. A driving assistance processing method that, based on the psychological state evaluation value which shows the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value, notifies the driver of the vehicle being assisted of information that provides feedback to the driver of the vehicle being assisted regarding the impact on the psychological state of the driver of the other vehicle due to a change in the driver's driving behavior.

5. On the computer, The system collects vehicle measurement data, including driver psychological state information relating to the psychological state of the vehicle's driver, transmitted from terminal devices installed in each vehicle, measured in predetermined specific driving scenes; calculates psychological state values, which indicate changes in the psychological state of drivers of other vehicles present in the predetermined specific driving scene while the supported vehicle is driving in that scene, for a first psychological state value when the supported vehicle's driver changes their driving behavior and a second psychological state value when the supported vehicle's driver does not change their driving behavior; and calculates a psychological state evaluation value that shows the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value. To provide support for driving the vehicle to be supported based on the aforementioned psychological state evaluation value, If the driver of the supported vehicle changes their driving behavior while passing through the predetermined specific driving scene, after the supported vehicle has passed through the predetermined specific driving scene, the first psychological state value is calculated based on the vehicle measurement data of the other vehicle measured while passing through the predetermined specific driving scene, and the second psychological state value is calculated based on the vehicle measurement data collected in the past. A non-temporary tangible recording medium that records a program that notifies the driver of the supported vehicle of information that feeds back to the driver of the supported vehicle the impact on the psychological state of the driver of the other vehicle due to a change in the driver's driving behavior, based on the psychological state evaluation value which shows the difference between the first psychological state value and the second psychological state value.

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