Vehicle control device, vehicle control method

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method that can reduce the possibility of contact with another vehicle in a road section after passing through a gate.SOLUTION: A processor with which an automatic driving ECU 30 is provided acquires a remaining distance to a gate spot and position information of gates that lead to a road along which it is planned to travel after passing through a gate on the basis of map data and the like. A processor 31 selects a target gate from among the gates that lead to the road along which it is planned to travel after passing through the gate and determines whether or not the target gate is present on an extension of a lane along which a host vehicle is currently traveling. If the target gate is not present on the extension of the lane along which the host vehicle is currently traveling, the processor 31 starts moving toward a traffic lane connected to the target gate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method for a vehicle to pass through a toll road gate in autonomous driving.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle control device that passes through a toll road gate by autonomous driving. The vehicle control device can change the gate scheduled to pass depending on whether a card for toll payment is mounted on the vehicle.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When there is a branch road after passing through the gate, a vehicle may move in the lateral direction (left or right) toward the road corresponding to the destination. Since the destination can be different for each vehicle, the trajectories of vehicles are likely to intersect with each other around the gate, which may increase the risk of collision. Naturally, the larger the amount of lateral movement after passing through the gate, the higher the collision risk can be.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made based on the above study or viewpoint, and one object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method capable of reducing the possibility of contact with other vehicles in a road section after passing through a gate.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] Disclosed herein is FirstThe vehicle control device is a vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make the vehicle move autonomously, and it performs the following actions: acquiring information about gate locations, which are points on a toll road where multiple gates are installed, based on output signals from surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data; acquiring data about post-gate roads, which are roads that the vehicle is scheduled to travel on after passing through a gate location; setting the gate closest to the post-gate road among the multiple gates installed at the gate location as the target gate; and starting lateral movement toward the direction where the target gate is located, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a preparation section located before the target gate. The system is configured such that, when the remaining distance to the target gate falls below a predetermined value, if the lane change toward the target gate has not been completed, the system changes the target gate to another gate and notifies the driver that the automated driving control may be terminated. . The second vehicle control device included in this disclosure is a vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, and is configured to perform the following actions based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data: to acquire information about a gate point, which is a point on a toll road where multiple gates are installed; to acquire data about the road after the gate point, which is the road on which the vehicle is scheduled to travel after passing through the gate point; to set the gate closest to the road after the gate point as the target gate; and to start lateral movement toward the direction where the target gate is located, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a preparation section located in front of the target gate. Furthermore, if it detects that there is another vehicle reversing at the target gate, another vehicle with its hazard lights on at the target gate, or that the target gate is blocked, it is configured to change the target gate or issue a request for a driver change. The third vehicle control device included in this disclosure is a vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, and is configured to switch between a first mode that performs automatic driving control without the obligation to monitor the surroundings and a second mode that performs automatic driving control with the obligation to monitor the surroundings, and is configured to perform the following based on the output signal of a surrounding monitoring sensor, a wireless signal received from an external device, or map data: to acquire information about a gate point, which is a point on a toll road where multiple gates are installed; to acquire data about the road after the gate point, which is the road on which the vehicle is scheduled to travel after passing through the gate point; to set the gate closest to the road after the gate point as the target gate; and to start lateral movement toward the direction where the target gate is located, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a preparation section located before the target gate, and is further configured to maintain the second mode while traveling within a predetermined distance from the gate point. The fourth vehicle control device included in this disclosure is a vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, and is configured to perform the following: acquire information about a gate point, which is a point on a toll road where multiple gates are installed, based on the output signal of a surrounding monitoring sensor, a wireless signal received from an external device, or map data; acquire data about the road after the gate, which is the road on which the vehicle is scheduled to travel after passing through the gate point; set the gate closest to the road after the gate as the target gate among the multiple gates installed at the gate point; start lateral movement toward the direction where the target gate is located, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a preparation section located before the target gate; change the target gate to another gate if the remaining distance to the gate point is less than a predetermined value but the movement to the lane connected to the target gate has not been completed; determine whether or not it is necessary to change lanes after passing through the newly set target gate; if it is determined that a lane change is necessary, identify the final change point, which is the point where the lane change must be completed; and if the final change point is more than a predetermined distance away from the gate, start the lane change after moving a predetermined distance away from the gate. A fifth vehicle control device included in this disclosure is a vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, and performs the following actions: acquiring information about a gate point, which is a point on a toll road where multiple gates are installed, based on output signals from surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from an external device, or map data; acquiring data about the road after the gate point, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on after passing through the gate point; setting the gate closest to the road after the gate point as the target gate among the multiple gates installed at the gate point; if no destination is set, setting the gate on the extension of the lane the vehicle is currently traveling in as the target gate; and starting lateral movement toward the direction where the target gate is located, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a preparation section located before the target gate. A sixth vehicle control device included in this disclosure is a vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle drive autonomously, and as a subsystem for automatic driving control, it includes a preceding vehicle following control unit (F51) that performs preceding vehicle following control to make the vehicle drive so as to follow a preceding vehicle at a predetermined distance, and performs the following: acquiring information about a gate point, which is a point on a toll road where multiple gates are installed, based on the output signal of a surrounding monitoring sensor, a wireless signal received from an external device, or map data; acquiring data about the road after the gate point, which is the road on which the vehicle is scheduled to travel after passing through the gate point; setting the gate closest to the road after the gate point among the multiple gates installed at the gate point as the target gate; starting lateral movement in the direction where the target gate is located based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a preparation section located before the target gate; and stopping the preceding vehicle following control based on the fact that the remaining distance to the gate is less than a predetermined value.

[0007] Furthermore, the vehicle control method of this disclosure is a vehicle control method for performing automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, and includes: acquiring information about a gate point, which is a point on a toll road where multiple gates are installed, based on the output signal of a surrounding monitoring sensor, a wireless signal received from an external device, or map data; acquiring data about the road after the gate point, which is the road on which the vehicle is scheduled to travel after passing through the gate point; setting the gate closest to the road after the gate point as the target gate; and starting lateral movement toward the direction where the target gate is located, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a preparation section located before the target gate. When the remaining distance to the target gate falls below a predetermined value, if the lane change towards the target gate has not been completed, the system will change the target gate to another gate and notify the driver that the automated driving control may be terminated. Includes.

[0008] According to the above device / method, the vehicle's lateral position can be brought closer to the road after the gate before passing through the gate, thereby reducing the amount of lateral movement of the vehicle after passing through the gate. As a result, the possibility of contact with other vehicles can be reduced.

[0009] The reference numerals in parentheses in the claims indicate the correspondence with the specific means described later in the embodiments, and do not limit the technical scope of this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the configuration of an autonomous driving system. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram of the autonomous driving ECU. [Figure 3] This flowchart shows the operation of the automated driving ECU when passing through a gate. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates an example of setting a target gate according to the road you plan to travel on after passing through the gate. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating the process for determining whether or not a lane change is necessary before passing through the gate. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows an example of temporary control. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the operation of the autonomous driving ECU in relation to the distance to the gate point. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates other examples of how the autonomous driving ECU operates based on the distance to the gate point. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates other examples of how the autonomous driving ECU operates based on the distance to the gate point. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates other examples of how the autonomous driving ECU operates based on the distance to the gate point. [Figure 11] This diagram illustrates other example settings for the target gate. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart illustrating the processor's operation in setting the target gate. [Figure 13] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the processor involved in implementing external notification control. [Figure 14] This is a flowchart illustrating the processor's operation when the adaptive cruise control system stops. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart for explaining an example of setting a target speed when passing through a gate. [Figure 16] It is a flowchart for explaining an example of setting a target speed when passing through a gate. [Figure 17] It is a diagram for explaining an example of setting a target gate when the number of lanes decreases after passing through a gate. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0011] <Preamble> Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present disclosure other than those described below. Various supplementary notes and modifications described below can be appropriately combined and implemented within a range where no technical contradiction occurs. Components having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof may be omitted. Further, when only a part of the configuration is mentioned, the description provided before that part can be applied to the other parts.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an automatic driving system Sys according to the present disclosure. Hereinafter, a vehicle equipped with the automatic driving system Sys is also referred to as the host vehicle. In addition, the description of "host lane" in the present disclosure refers to the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling among a plurality of lanes provided on a road. The host lane can also be referred to as an ego lane. An adjacent lane is a lane adjacent to the host lane.

[0013] A "preceding vehicle" in the present disclosure refers to a vehicle that travels in the same lane as the host vehicle and is closest to the host vehicle among vehicles existing ahead of the host vehicle. A "following vehicle" refers to another vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle in the host lane. A "forward vehicle" is not limited to a vehicle traveling ahead of the host vehicle in the host lane, and also includes another vehicle traveling ahead of the host vehicle in one or more adjacent lanes. Similarly, a "rear vehicle" includes not only a following vehicle but also a vehicle traveling diagonally behind the host vehicle.

[0014] In this disclosure, "driver" refers to a person seated in the driver's seat, i.e., a driver's seat occupant, regardless of whether they are actually driving or not. For example, in this disclosure, "driver" may refer to a person who should receive the authority and responsibility for driving operations from the autonomous driving system Sys at the end of autonomous driving. The term "driver" in this disclosure can be replaced with "driver's seat occupant." The vehicle may be a remotely operated vehicle, remotely controlled by an operator located outside the vehicle. The person who takes over driving operations from the autonomous driving system Sys may be an operator located outside the vehicle. Here, "operator" refers to a person who has the authority to control the vehicle remotely from outside the vehicle. The operator is also included in the concept of a driver.

[0015] The autonomous driving system (Sys) provides the so-called autonomous driving function, which allows the vehicle to autonomously drive along a predetermined route. The degree of automation in driving operations (hereinafter referred to as the automation level) can be divided into multiple levels, as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International). For example, the automation level can be divided into six stages, from level 0 to 5.

[0016] Level 0 is equivalent to fully manual driving, where the system does not control anything. Level 1 is a level where the system supports either steering or acceleration / deceleration. Level 1 includes cases where only Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is performed. Level 2 refers to a level where the system performs both speed adjustment by operating the accelerator and brakes, and left / right control by operating the steering wheel (i.e., steering). In Level 2, although driver monitoring of the surroundings (so-called eyes-on) is required, the system drives the vehicle substantially autonomously. In this disclosure, control equivalent to Level 2 is also referred to as automated driving control with surrounding monitoring obligation, Level 2 automated driving control, or semi-autonomous driving control.

[0017] Level 3 refers to the level in which the system performs all driving tasks within the Operational Design Domain (ODD), while in emergencies, control is transferred from the system to the driver. The ODD defines the conditions under which autonomous driving is possible. Level 4 is the level in which the system performs all driving tasks except in specific situations such as certain roads that are unsuitable or extreme environments. Level 5 is the level in which the system performs all driving tasks in all environments.

[0018] Automation levels 3 to 5 are the levels of automation where driver monitoring of the surroundings is no longer required; in other words, they correspond to levels of autonomous driving. Therefore, in this disclosure, vehicle control equivalent to level 3 or higher is also referred to as autonomous driving control without the obligation to monitor the surroundings.

[0019] The following automated driving systems (Sys) can be modified as appropriate to conform to the laws and customs of the region in which they are used, the characteristics of the vehicle on which they are installed, and the installed equipment. Unless otherwise specified, "system" below refers to the automated driving system (Sys).

[0020] <Overall Configuration of the Autonomous Driving System (Sys)> The autonomous driving system Sys comprises various configurations as shown in Figure 1 as an example. Specifically, the autonomous driving system Sys includes a surrounding monitoring sensor 11, a vehicle status sensor 12, a locator 13, a map storage unit 14, a wireless communication device 15, an occupant status sensor 16, a body ECU 17, an external display device 18, and a driving actuator 19. The autonomous driving system Sys also includes an on-board HMI 20 and an autonomous driving ECU 30. ECU stands for Electronic Control Unit, meaning an electronic control unit. HMI stands for Human Machine Interface.

[0021] The autonomous driving ECU 30 is connected to each of the above-mentioned devices / sensors, such as the surrounding monitoring sensor 11, via the in-vehicle network IvN, enabling mutual communication. The in-vehicle network IvN is a communication network built within the vehicle. Various standards can be adopted for the in-vehicle network IvN, such as Controller Area Network (hereinafter, CAN: registered trademark) and Ethernet (registered trademark). In addition, some devices / sensors may be directly connected to the autonomous driving ECU 30 by dedicated signal lines. The connection configuration between devices can be changed as appropriate.

[0022] The surrounding monitoring sensor 11 is a sensor that detects objects present within its detection range. The surrounding monitoring sensor 11 can be understood as an autonomous sensor that senses the surrounding environment of the vehicle. The surrounding monitoring sensor can be rephrased as an object detection sensor. The autonomous driving system Sys may be equipped with multiple surrounding monitoring sensors 11. For example, the autonomous driving system Sys may include a camera 111 and a millimeter-wave radar 112 as surrounding monitoring sensors 11.

[0023] Camera 111 is a so-called front camera positioned to capture images of the area in front of the vehicle at a predetermined angle of view. Camera 111 is located on the upper end of the windshield on the interior side of the vehicle, on the front grille, on the rooftop, etc. Camera 111 may include a camera ECU in addition to a camera body that generates image frames. The camera body includes at least an image sensor and a lens. The camera ECU includes a processor and memory. The processor is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc. The camera ECU is an ECU that detects predetermined objects by performing recognition processing on image frames. The camera ECU detects and identifies objects registered as detection targets using, for example, a classifier to which deep learning is applied. The camera ECU also calculates the relative position coordinates of the detected object with respect to the vehicle from the position information of the detected object within the image frame (e.g., pixel coordinates).

[0024] Camera 111 can detect moving objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles. It can also detect local features such as road edges, road markings, and structures along the road. Road markings include lane markings, crosswalks, stop lines, traffic lanes, safety zones, and regulatory arrows. Structures along the road include road signs, guardrails, curbs, utility poles, and traffic lights. Camera 111 can also detect the illumination status of lighting devices such as hazard lights and turn signals (so-called indicator lights) of vehicles ahead.

[0025] The autonomous driving system Sys may be equipped with multiple cameras 111. For example, in addition to a front camera, the autonomous driving system Sys may also be equipped with side cameras to capture images of the sides of the vehicle and rear cameras to capture images of the rear of the vehicle. The function of detecting target objects by analyzing camera images may be provided by another ECU, such as the autonomous driving ECU 30. The arrangement of functions within the autonomous driving system Sys can be changed as appropriate. The cameras 111 output data related to detected objects to the in-vehicle network IvN. The data flowing to the in-vehicle network IvN is referenced by the autonomous driving ECU 30 as needed.

[0026] The millimeter-wave radar 112 is a device that detects the relative position and relative speed of an object to the vehicle by transmitting probe waves, such as millimeter waves or quasi-millimeter waves, in a predetermined direction and analyzing the received data of the reflected waves that are returned after the transmitted waves are reflected by an object. The autonomous driving system Sys may be equipped with multiple millimeter-wave radars 112. Multiple millimeter-wave radars 112 include forward millimeter-wave radars and rear millimeter-wave radars. The forward millimeter-wave radar is a millimeter-wave radar 112 that transmits probe waves toward the front of the vehicle and is installed, for example, on the front grille or front bumper. The rear millimeter-wave radar is a millimeter-wave radar 112 that transmits probe waves toward the rear of the vehicle and is installed, for example, on the rear bumper. Each millimeter-wave radar 112 generates data indicating the relative position and relative speed of the detected object and outputs the detection result to the autonomous driving ECU 30, etc. The objects that the millimeter-wave radar 112 can detect may include other vehicles, pedestrians, manholes (steel plates), three-dimensional structures as landmarks, etc.

[0027] The surrounding monitoring sensors 11 may include cameras 111 and millimeter-wave radar 112, as well as LiDAR, sonar, etc. LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging. LiDAR is a device that generates three-dimensional point cloud data showing the position of reflection points for each detection direction by irradiating with laser light. LiDAR is also called laser radar. The autonomous driving system Sys may be equipped with multiple LiDARs and sonars. The combination of surrounding monitoring sensors 11 equipped in the autonomous driving system Sys can be changed as appropriate. The detection results of each surrounding monitoring sensor 11 are input to the autonomous driving ECU 30.

[0028] The vehicle state sensor 12 is a sensor that detects information about the state of the vehicle. The vehicle state sensor 12 includes a vehicle speed sensor, steering angle sensor, acceleration sensor, yaw rate sensor, accelerator pedal sensor, etc. The vehicle speed sensor is a sensor that detects the vehicle's speed. The steering angle sensor is a sensor that detects the steering angle. The acceleration sensor is a sensor that detects acceleration acting in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, lateral acceleration acting in the left-right direction, etc. The yaw rate sensor is a sensor that detects the vehicle's angular velocity. The accelerator pedal sensor is a sensor that detects the amount / force of the accelerator pedal depression. The brake pedal sensor is a sensor that detects the amount / force of the brake pedal depression. The vehicle state sensor 12 outputs data indicating the current value (i.e., detection result) of the physical state quantity to be detected to the in-vehicle network IvN. The type of sensor used by the autonomous driving system Sys as the vehicle state sensor 12 can be designed as appropriate.

[0029] Locator 13 is a device that calculates and outputs the position coordinates of the vehicle using navigation signals transmitted from positioning satellites that constitute the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). Locator 13 includes a GNSS receiver and an inertial sensor, etc. Locator 13 sequentially calculates the vehicle's position and direction of travel by combining navigation signals received by the GNSS receiver, measurement results from the inertial sensor, and vehicle speed information flowing through the in-vehicle network IvN, etc. In this disclosure, the data indicating the position coordinates of the vehicle calculated by Locator 13 is referred to as vehicle position data. Locator 13 outputs the vehicle position data to the autonomous driving ECU 30.

[0030] The map storage unit 14 is a storage device in which map data is stored. The map data held by the map storage unit 14 may be so-called HD (High Definition) map data. The map data stored in the map storage unit 14 includes the three-dimensional shape of roads, the locations of road markings such as lane markings, the locations of traffic signs, etc., with the accuracy necessary for autonomous driving, etc. The map data includes gate location data. The gate location data is data about gate locations, which are locations where gates for toll collection are installed on toll roads. The map data may include data for each gate location. In this disclosure, the expression "gate location / gate" can be read as "toll booth".

[0031] Gate location data is data that indicates the structure of a gate location. Multiple gates may be installed side by side in the road width direction at a single gate location. Gate location data includes representative position coordinates, the number of gates installed, the detailed location of each gate, and data related to the payment method for each gate. The number of gates installed can be rephrased as the number of lanes. Each gate provides one lane (passage). Representative position coordinates are position coordinates that roughly indicate the location of the gate location. Representative position coordinates may be, for example, the position coordinates of the gate located in the middle, on the right end, or on the left end (hereinafter referred to as the representative gate) among multiple gates arranged side by side. In this disclosure, the road section within a predetermined distance before and after the gate location represented by the representative position coordinates is also referred to as the gate area. The gate area may be a section before and after the gate where lane markings are not provided (hereinafter referred to as the laneless section). The gate area may be a section where the road width is widened relative to the connecting road.

[0032] The detailed location data for gates may be coordinate data such as latitude and longitude. The detailed location of gates may also be represented by a number, with the rightmost or leftmost gate designated as number 1. The payment method data indicates the payment (settlement) method for road tolls. Payment methods can be divided into manual payment methods and automatic payment methods. In the manual payment method, the driver pays the toll by handing cash or a credit card to the gate staff or by inserting it into a payment machine installed at the gate. In the automatic payment method, a wireless communication device installed in the vehicle (so-called on-board unit) and wireless communication equipment installed at the gate (so-called roadside unit) communicate wirelessly to settle the payment according to the vehicle type and section of travel. In Japan, the manual payment method may be called "general," and the automatic payment method may be called "ETC (registered trademark)." ETC is an abbreviation for Electronic Toll Collection.

[0033] The map data stored in the map storage unit 14 may be updated by data received by the wireless communication device 15 from a map server or the like. The map storage unit 14 may also be a storage device for temporarily holding the map data received by the wireless communication device 15 from the map server until the data expires. The map data held by the map storage unit 14 may be navigation map data, which is navigation map data, insofar as it includes gate point data.

[0034] The wireless communication device 15 is a device that enables the vehicle to communicate wirelessly with external devices. External devices may include servers, traffic information centers, roadside units, and some or all of other vehicles. The wireless communication device 15 is configured to perform cellular communication. Cellular communication refers to wireless communication compliant with LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, 5G, etc. The wireless communication device 15 may also be configured to perform cellular V2X (PC5 / SideLink / Uu).

[0035] Furthermore, the wireless communication device 15 is configured to enable short-range communication. In this disclosure, short-range communication refers to wireless communication whose communication range is limited to within several hundred meters. The short-range communication method used may be DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) compatible with IEEE802.11p, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy, etc. The short-range communication method may also be the aforementioned cellular V2X. The wireless communication device 15 may be configured to enable data communication with a roadside unit installed at the gate regarding toll payment when passing through the gate. For example, the wireless communication device 15 may be an in-vehicle unit compatible with ETC2.0.

[0036] The wireless communication device 15 may receive information about gate locations from external devices. For example, the wireless communication device 15 may receive information from a server or center such as location information of gate locations, information on passable gates and closed gates. The wireless communication device 15 may also receive vehicle information from surrounding vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Vehicle information may include speed, current location, status of turn signals, acceleration, and movement trajectory. Surrounding vehicles here refer to vehicles within range of vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

[0037] The occupant status sensor 16 is a sensor that detects the driver's status. The occupant status sensor 16 may be, for example, a driver status monitor (hereinafter referred to as DSM). The DSM is a sensor that detects the driver's face orientation, gaze direction, eyelid opening degree, etc., based on the driver's face image. The DSM as the occupant status sensor 16 is positioned on the instrument panel or the upper edge of the windshield, for example, with its optical axis directed towards the headrest of the driver's seat, so that it can capture the driver's face. The DSM as the occupant status sensor 16 transmits driver status data indicating the driver's face orientation, gaze direction, eyelid opening degree, etc., to the automatic driving ECU 30. The occupant status sensor 16 may also be a pulse sensor or a thermal camera, etc.

[0038] The body ECU 17 is an ECU that comprehensively controls the body-related onboard equipment installed in the vehicle. Body-related onboard equipment includes lighting systems, horns, door lock motors, etc. Lighting systems include headlights, hazard lights, turn signals, taillights, welcome lights, etc. Body-related onboard equipment may also include an external display device 18.

[0039] The external display device 18 is a projector that projects images onto the rear window. Based on input signals from the autonomous driving ECU 30, the external display device 18 can display images for communication with drivers of other vehicles. For example, the external display device 18 can display an image indicating the direction of movement of the vehicle itself, or an image requesting the transfer of right of way (in other words, permission to cut in) to a vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane behind it. The external display device 18 is installed, for example, on the ceiling inside the vehicle (for example, near the upper edge of the window frame) in a position where the projected light hits the rear window.

[0040] The external display device 18 may project images onto the side window or the road surface around the vehicle. The external display device 18 may be mounted on the side mirror to project images onto the road surface near the vehicle. Headlights or taillights may be configured to function as the external display device 18. The external display device 18 may be a liquid crystal display or the like, with its display surface facing the side or rear of the vehicle.

[0041] The in-vehicle HMI 20 is a set of interfaces for information exchange between the occupant and the autonomous driving system Sys. The in-vehicle HMI 20 includes a display 21 and a speaker 22 as notification devices for notifying the driver of information. The in-vehicle HMI 20 also includes an input device 23 as an input interface for receiving operations from the occupant.

[0042] The autonomous driving system Sys includes one or more of the following as a display 21: a head-up display (HUD), a meter display, and a center display. The HUD is a device that projects an image onto a predetermined area of ​​the windshield, thereby displaying a virtual image that can be perceived by the driver. The meter display is a display located in the area of ​​the instrument panel directly in front of the driver's seat. The center display is a display located in the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction. The meter display and the center display can be implemented using liquid crystal displays or organic EL displays. The display 21 displays an image corresponding to a signal input from the autonomous driving ECU 30. The speaker 22 is a device that outputs sound corresponding to a signal input from the autonomous driving ECU 30. The term "sound" in this disclosure includes notification sounds, voices, music, etc.

[0043] The autonomous driving system (Sys) may also include other notification devices besides those mentioned above, such as vibrators and ambient lighting. Ambient lighting is a lighting device that uses multiple LEDs (light-emitting diodes) and whose light color and intensity can be adjusted. Ambient lighting is installed on the instrument panel, steering wheel, A-pillar, etc. The A-pillar is the pillar located next to the windshield. The A-pillar may also be called the front pillar.

[0044] The input device 23 is a device for receiving driver instructions and operations for the autonomous driving system Sys. The input device 23 can include steering switches located on the spokes of the steering wheel, operating levers located on the steering column, or a touch panel integrated into the center display. The autonomous driving system Sys may also be equipped with multiple types of devices as input devices 23.

[0045] The input device 23 outputs an operation signal, which is an electrical signal corresponding to the driver's operation, to the autonomous driving ECU 30. The operation signal includes information indicating the driver's operation. The autonomous driving system Sys receives instructions for changing the operating mode via the input device 23. Instructions for changing the operating mode include instructions for starting and ending autonomous driving. The autonomous driving system Sys may be configured to acquire various driver instructions by voice recognition. A device for voice input, such as a microphone, can also be included in the input device 23. A device such as an HCU (HMI Control Unit) may be interposed between the in-vehicle HMI 20 and the autonomous driving ECU 30. The HCU is a device that comprehensively controls the notification of information to the driver.

[0046] The autonomous driving ECU 30 is an ECU that performs some or all of the driving operations on behalf of the driver by controlling the driving actuators 19 based on the detection results of the surrounding monitoring sensors 11 and the like. The autonomous driving ECU 30 is also called an automated driving system. The driving actuators 19 include, for example, brake actuators, electronic throttles, and steering actuators. The steering actuators include EPS (Electric Power Steering) motors. In addition, other ECUs such as a steering ECU that performs steering control, a power unit control ECU that performs acceleration and deceleration control, and a brake ECU may be interposed between the autonomous driving ECU 30 and the driving actuators 19.

[0047] The autonomous driving ECU 30 is primarily composed of a computer equipped with a processor 31, memory 32, storage 33, communication interface 34, and a bus connecting these components. The memory 32 is a rewritable, volatile storage medium. For example, the memory 32 is RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage 33 is a rewritable, non-volatile storage medium, such as flash memory. The storage 33 stores a vehicle control program, which is executed by the processor 31. The vehicle control program also includes a gate response program that creates a driving plan when passing through a gate. When the processor 31 executes the vehicle control program, it is equivalent to executing a vehicle control method.

[0048] The autonomous driving ECU 30 has multiple operating modes with different levels of automation. Each operating mode has a different range of driving tasks that the driver is responsible for, or in other words, a range of driving tasks in which the system intervenes. Operating modes can be rephrased as driving modes. Here, as an example, the autonomous driving ECU 30 is configured to be switchable between multiple operating modes, including at least a fully manual mode, a Level 2 mode, and a Level 3 mode.

[0049] Fully manual mode is an operating mode in which the driver performs all driving tasks. Fully manual mode corresponds to a mode in which the autonomous driving ECU 30 does not perform any substantial vehicle control. Fully manual mode may also be a mode in which the autonomous driving ECU 30 stops operating (a so-called stop mode). In fully manual mode, the autonomous driving ECU 30 may continue to perform background (in other words, potentially) recognition processing of the driving environment as preparation for moving to Level 2 or Level 3 mode.

[0050] Level 2 mode is an operating mode that performs automated driving control with an obligation to monitor the surroundings, in other words, vehicle control equivalent to automation level 2. Level 2 mode can also be called semi-autonomous driving mode or eyes-on automated driving mode. Level 2 mode may be subdivided into hands-on level 2 mode and hands-off level 2 mode. In this embodiment, the automated driving ECU 30's hands-on level 2 mode is a mode in which the driver must hold the steering wheel. Hands-off level 2 mode is an operating mode in which the driver does not need to hold the steering wheel, in other words, an operating mode in which hands-off operation is permitted. In this disclosure, hands-on refers to holding the steering wheel. Hands-off refers to the act of taking one's hands off the steering wheel. Eyes-on refers to monitoring the area outside the vehicle (mainly in front) related to the direction of the vehicle's movement. Eyes-off refers to the act of taking one's eyes off the area outside the vehicle related to the direction of the vehicle's movement for more than a certain amount of time.

[0051] Level 3 mode is an operating mode that performs automated driving control without the obligation to monitor the surroundings, i.e., vehicle control equivalent to automation level 3. The automated driving ECU 30 may also be capable of performing automated driving control equivalent to level 4 or higher. Level 3 mode can be called automated driving mode or eyes-off automated driving mode. The automated driving ECU 30 may be equipped with multiple processors 31. Processors that perform automated driving control of level 3 or higher may be provided separately from processors that perform vehicle control of level 2 or lower.

[0052] While in autonomous driving mode, the autonomous driving ECU 30 automatically performs steering, acceleration, deceleration (in other words, braking), etc., to ensure that the vehicle travels along the planned route set by the driver toward the destination. Even if no destination is set, the autonomous driving ECU 30 may select a route to continue driving / circling within the range that satisfies the ODD and continue autonomous driving.

[0053] ODD may include, for example, (a) the road is a highway or an expressway equipped with a median and guardrails, etc., (b) the amount of rainfall is below a predetermined threshold, and (c) there is congestion. An expressway here refers to a road where pedestrians and bicycles are prohibited from entering, and includes, for example, toll roads such as highways. Congestion refers to a state in which the driving speed is below the congestion threshold (for example, around 30 km / h) and other vehicles are present within a predetermined distance (for example, 20 m) in front of and behind the vehicle. In addition, (d) all / a predetermined number or more of the surrounding monitoring sensors 11 are functioning normally, and (e) there are no parked vehicles on the road, etc. can also be included in ODD. The conditions for determining whether autonomous driving is possible / impossible, in other words, the detailed conditions that define ODD, can be changed as appropriate.

[0054] Furthermore, the autonomous driving ECU30 performs control to enable the vehicle to operate autonomously even while in Level 2 mode. Specifically, it recognizes the driving environment, plans the driving trajectory, and incorporates / feeds back into the control. This incorporation into the control includes speed adjustment through acceleration and deceleration, and steering control. Unless otherwise noted, the term "autonomous driving" below can be replaced with "semi-autonomous driving equivalent to Level 2."

[0055] Furthermore, the autonomous driving ECU30 allows the driver to perform secondary tasks in autonomous driving mode. Secondary tasks permitted in Level 3 autonomous driving may be limited to those that allow for immediate return to driving control, such as reading or using a smartphone. Autonomous driving mode can be terminated due to driver steering / pedal operation (so-called override), system limitations, exit from the ODD, etc.

[0056] <About the configuration of the autonomous driving ECU> The autonomous driving ECU 30 includes the functional units shown in Figure 2, which are realized by executing the autonomous driving program. Specifically, the autonomous driving ECU 30 has an information acquisition unit F1, an environment recognition unit F2, a mode control unit F3, a planning unit F4, and a control execution unit F5.

[0057] The information acquisition unit F1 is configured to acquire various types of information for implementing vehicle control, such as autonomous driving and driver assistance. The information acquisition unit F1 acquires sensing data (i.e., detection results) from various surrounding monitoring sensors 11, including a camera 111. The sensing data includes data about objects present around the vehicle, such as moving objects, features, and obstacles. The data for each detected object may include its position, speed, and type or size.

[0058] Sensing data related to geographic features may include data on the detection results of lane markings and road edges. Lane marking data may include not only position data but also line type data. Line type can be represented as a continuous line (solid line) or a dashed line. Sensing data may also include data indicating the recognition status of lane markings, such as whether or not lane markings have been recognized, and the recognition status of road edges, such as whether or not road edges have been recognized.

[0059] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit F1 acquires data indicating the vehicle's status, such as the vehicle's speed, acceleration, yaw rate, and external illumination, from the vehicle status sensor 12. In addition, the information acquisition unit F1 acquires vehicle position data from the locator 13. The information acquisition unit F1 acquires surrounding map information by referring to the map storage unit 14.

[0060] The information acquisition unit F1, in cooperation with the wireless communication device 15, acquires data transmitted from external devices. For example, the information acquisition unit F1 can acquire vehicle information transmitted from a vehicle ahead via vehicle-to-vehicle communication. In addition, the information acquisition unit F1, in cooperation with the wireless communication device 15, acquires dynamic map data for the road section that its vehicle is scheduled to pass through within a predetermined time. This dynamic map data includes traffic congestion information and merging vehicle information.

[0061] The information acquisition unit F1 acquires driver operations to the autonomous driving system Sys based on signals from the input device 23. For example, the information acquisition unit F1 acquires instruction signals from the input device 23 regarding the start and end of autonomous driving. The information acquisition unit F1 also acquires data regarding the operating status of the autonomous driving system Sys from various devices / software modules. For example, the information acquisition unit F1 acquires data such as the operating status (on / off) of the ACC function and whether or not it recognizes a preceding vehicle. The information acquisition unit F1 also manages the operating status of various components, such as whether or not the surrounding monitoring sensor 11 is functioning correctly. The information acquisition unit F1 acquires driver status data from the occupant status sensor 16, indicating eye opening and gaze direction.

[0062] The various data acquired sequentially by the information acquisition unit F1 are stored in a temporary storage medium such as memory 32 and used by the environment recognition unit F2, mode control unit F3, etc. The various types of information may be categorized and stored in memory 32. Furthermore, the various types of information may be sorted and stored, for example, with the most recent data appearing first. Data acquired after a certain period of time may be discarded. In this disclosure, "acquisition" also includes generation, detection, and determination by the autonomous driving ECU 30 itself based on data input from other devices / sensors, etc. This is because the functional arrangement within the system can be changed as appropriate.

[0063] The environmental recognition unit F2 recognizes the vehicle's driving environment based on the vehicle's position data, sensing data, and map data acquired by the information acquisition unit F1. The environmental recognition unit F2 may also recognize the vehicle's driving environment by performing sensor fusion processing, which integrates the detection results of multiple surrounding monitoring sensors 11, such as the camera 111 and the millimeter-wave radar 112, with predetermined weights.

[0064] The driving environment includes factors such as road curvature, number of lanes, vehicle lane number, weather, road surface condition, traffic volume, and remaining distance to the gate. The vehicle lane number is a number indicating the position of the vehicle's lane on the road, and is determined relative to the left edge of the road. The vehicle lane number directly or indirectly represents the number of lanes to the left of the vehicle's lane. Of course, the vehicle lane number may also be expressed relative to the right edge of the road. The vehicle lane number may be determined using the distance from the road edge to the vehicle, the number of lane markings detected on the left and right, and some or all of the map data. The vehicle lane number may also be determined from map data and vehicle position data. The determination of the vehicle lane number may be performed by camera 111 or locator 13. Weather and road surface condition can be determined by combining the recognition results of camera 111 with weather information acquired by information acquisition unit F1. Regarding road structure, in addition to the recognition results of camera 111, it may be determined using map data or the trajectory information of the vehicle ahead.

[0065] The environmental recognition unit F2 acquires information about the structure of roads within a predetermined distance in front of its own vehicle based on at least one of the output signals from the surrounding monitoring sensor 11, signals received from external devices, and map data. The road structure includes the location of gate points, the location of branching roads, the number of lane markings, and the road width. As detailed information about gate points, the environmental recognition unit F2 acquires the remaining distance to the gate point. The remaining distance to the gate point may be acquired based on map data, or it may be determined based on data of guide signs detected by the camera 111. The environmental recognition unit F2 may also determine the remaining distance to the gate point based on behavior data or sensing data received from the vehicle ahead. The environmental recognition unit F2 may acquire the number of gates and the payment method for each gate from map data or the driving trajectory of the vehicle ahead. The environmental recognition unit F2 may consider gates that require stopping to pass as gates with a manual payment method, and gates that the vehicle ahead passes through without stopping as gates with an automatic payment method. In the environment recognition unit F2, the function unit that acquires information related to the gate location corresponds to the gate recognition unit F21.

[0066] The driving environment includes the location, type, and speed of objects present around the vehicle. The environment recognition unit F2 recognizes the location and behavior of surrounding vehicles based on the various data acquired by the information acquisition unit F1. The software / hardware module responsible for recognizing surrounding vehicles corresponds to the surrounding vehicle recognition unit F22. In addition, the environment recognition unit F2 acquires external environmental information related to the ODD and driver status data.

[0067] The mode control unit F3 controls the operating mode of the automatic driving ECU 30 based on various information acquired by the information acquisition unit F1. Switching between operating modes is performed based on operation signals input from the input device 23. For example, when the driving environment satisfies the ODD, the mode control unit F3 switches the operating mode from fully manual mode or Level 2 mode to automatic driving mode when an automatic driving start instruction signal is input from the input device 23. Furthermore, if the mode control unit F3 foresees that the driving environment recognized by the environment recognition unit F2 will no longer satisfy the ODD while in automatic driving mode, it may decide to switch to fully manual mode and notify the planning unit F4 accordingly.

[0068] In addition, the mode control unit F3 switches to fully manual mode if it detects an override operation by the driver while in automatic driving mode or Level 2 mode. An override operation refers to an operation by the occupant on control components such as the steering wheel and pedals. When the automatic driving ECU 30 detects that an override operation has been performed by the driver, it promptly transfers driving authority to the driver and notifies the driver of the switch to manual driving via voice output or other means. The operating mode to which the vehicle transitions when the automatic driving mode ends may also be Level 2 mode.

[0069] The planning unit F4 is configured to plan the control content to be executed as Level 2 or higher autonomous driving. The planning unit F4 can be activated when the operating mode is Level 3 or Level 2 mode. While in Level 3 or Level 2 mode, the planning unit F4 generates a driving plan for autonomous driving based on the results of the environmental recognition unit F2's recognition of the driving environment. The driving plan can also be called a control plan. The driving plan includes the driving position, target speed, and steering angle for each time point. In other words, the driving plan may include schedule information for acceleration and deceleration to adjust speed along the calculated route, and schedule information for steering amount.

[0070] For example, the planning unit F4 performs route search processing as a medium- to long-term driving plan and determines the planned driving route from the vehicle's current position to the destination. If no destination is set, the planning unit F4 may select a route that allows for continued autonomous driving as the planned driving route. The planned driving route includes data on roads to be traveled within a predetermined time (e.g., 10 minutes).

[0071] The planning unit F4 generates short-term control plans for driving in accordance with medium- to long-term driving plans, such as lane change driving plans, driving plans that follow the preceding vehicle, and driving plans that avoid obstacles. For example, as a short-term control plan, the planning unit F4 may generate a driving plan that follows a route that follows the center of the vehicle's recognized lane, or a driving plan that follows the behavior or driving trajectory of a recognized preceding vehicle. The control plans created by the planning unit F4 are input to the control execution unit F5.

[0072] Planning Department F4 formulates control plans directly related to the vehicle's operation, as well as plans for notification processing to occupants using notification devices such as the display 21. For example, Planning Department F4 plans the timing for issuing warnings / requests to the driver, such as behavior warnings, mode change notifications, eyes-on requests, hands-on requests, and TOR (Take Over Request) warnings. Behavior warnings are processes that warn of planned vehicle behaviors, such as lane changes, overtaking, and deceleration. Behavior warnings also include warnings of the vehicle's planned behavior at gate locations, such as the gate number to be used. Mode change notifications are processes that notify the driver that the operating mode is being changed, or that the operating mode is scheduled to be changed.

[0073] Eyes-on request is a process in Level 3 mode that asks the driver to monitor their surroundings as a precaution. Hands-on request is a process in Level 3 mode or hands-off Level 2 mode that asks the driver to lightly grip the steering wheel. TOR warning is a process that notifies the driver that the likelihood of TOR is increasing. TOR is a request for the driver to take over driving control, in other words, it terminates autonomous driving.

[0074] Various notifications, including advance notices and requests, include displaying an icon image on the display 21 corresponding to their content. Depending on their importance and urgency, these notifications may also be accompanied by some or all of the following: outputting a notification sound, outputting a voice message, flashing ambient light, and vibrating a vibrator.

[0075] The control execution unit F5 generates control commands based on the control plan formulated by the planning unit F4 and outputs them sequentially to the driving actuator 19, display 21, etc. In addition, the control execution unit F5 controls the illumination status of turn signals, headlights, hazard lights, etc., according to the driving plan and external environment, based on the plan from the planning unit F4 and the external environment.

[0076] The control execution unit F5 includes an ACC system F51 as a subsystem for performing preceding vehicle follow control. The ACC system F51 performs preceding vehicle follow control based on the plan created by the planning unit F4. That is, if the ACC system F51 can recognize the preceding vehicle, it controls the vehicle speed to keep the distance / time between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle constant within the set vehicle speed range. If the ACC system F51 does not recognize the preceding vehicle, it maintains the set vehicle speed. The ACC system F51 can also be referred to as the preceding vehicle follow control unit.

[0077] The control execution unit F5 includes a notification control unit F52 as a subsystem for providing notifications and suggestions to the driver using notification devices such as the display 21 and speaker 22. Various notifications and suggestions can be implemented by displaying images on the display 21 or outputting audio messages from the speaker 22.

[0078] For example, the notification control unit F52, at the timing set by the planning unit F4, notifies the vehicle of information indicating the planned behavior of the vehicle towards a gate point to be reached within a predetermined time, using at least one of the display 21 and speaker 22. More specifically, the notification control unit F52 outputs image data or audio data indicating the target gate to be passed, the trajectory before passing the gate, and the trajectory after passing the gate to the display 21 or speaker 22.

[0079] The functional arrangement of the planning unit F4 and the control execution unit F5 can be changed as appropriate. They may also be integrated. The software / hardware module including the planning unit F4 and the control execution unit F5 corresponds to the vehicle control unit Fn.

[0080] <Regarding responses to the gate point> Here, the operation of the autonomous driving ECU 30 in a scenario where the vehicle is traveling within a predetermined distance from the gate point in Level 2 or Level 3 mode will be explained using the flowchart shown in Figure 3. The flowchart shown in Figure 3 may be executed periodically while in Level 2 / Level 3 mode. The flowchart shown in Figure 3 includes steps S101 to S110 as an example. The description of the processor 31 as the executing entity in the following steps may be replaced with the information acquisition unit F1, environment recognition unit F2, mode control unit F3, planning unit F4, or control execution unit F5, depending on the context.

[0081] Step S101 is a step in which the processor 31 acquires various information. The information acquisition unit F1 acquires, for example, the vehicle's position coordinates, lane number, planned route, remaining distance to the gate point, and information on surrounding vehicles. The information on surrounding vehicles includes whether or not there is a preceding vehicle. If there is a preceding vehicle, the distance between the vehicles and the preceding vehicle and their relative speed are also included in the information on surrounding vehicles. The information on surrounding vehicles also includes the position and speed of other vehicles other than the preceding vehicle. Note that the process corresponding to step S101 is also executed periodically from S103 onwards.

[0082] Step S102 is a step to determine whether the remaining distance to the gate point is less than or equal to a predetermined preparation start distance. The remaining distance to the gate point is the distance from the vehicle to the gate point in the direction of extension of the road. The preparation start distance is, for example, 500m. The preparation start distance may also be 250m or 750m, etc. As mentioned above, the output of the surrounding monitoring sensor 11, received data from an external device, map data, etc. can be used as criteria for determining the remaining distance to the gate point.

[0083] The preparation start distance may be dynamically determined according to the driving speed and the type of road. The preparation start distance may also be defined as the length of time it takes for the vehicle to reach the gate point. The preparation start distance may be set to a longer value the more lanes the road currently being driven on has. The preparation start distance may be set to a longer value the more gates installed at the gate point ahead have. In this disclosure, the road section in which the remaining distance to the gate point is less than or equal to the predetermined preparation start distance is also referred to as the preparation section. "Dy" in each figure indicates the remaining distance to the gate point. Also, "Dstb" in Figure 3 represents the preparation start distance. The description "remaining distance to the gate point" may be replaced with "remaining distance to the target gate" as appropriate.

[0084] If the remaining distance to the gate is less than or equal to the preparation start distance (S102 YES), the processor 31 executes the sequence from step S103 onwards. In other words, the processing from step S103 onwards is executed based on the fact that the remaining distance to the gate has fallen below a predetermined preparation start threshold. On the other hand, if the remaining distance to the gate exceeds the preparation start distance (S102 NO), this flow is terminated. If this flow is terminated, it may be re-executed after a predetermined pause time has elapsed since the termination. The pause time can be set to, for example, 500 milliseconds, 1 second, 2 seconds, etc.

[0085] Step S103 is the step of setting the target gate. The target gate is one of several gates located at the gate location that the vehicle will pass through. Note that setting the target gate may be performed before the remaining distance to the gate location becomes less than or equal to the preparation start distance. The processor 31 sets the gate corresponding to the post-gate road, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on after passing the gate location, as the target gate.

[0086] A gate corresponding to a road after a gate refers to a gate located directly in front of the road after the gate; in other words, a gate from which one can enter the road after the gate by driving straight after passing through the gate. A gate corresponding to a road after a gate can be understood as a gate that leads to the road after the gate. Conversely, a road corresponding to a gate can be understood as a road located directly in front of the gate, the road closest to the gate, or a road that runs along the nearest edge of the road from the gate. If there are multiple gates corresponding to roads after a gate, the processor 31 may set the gate closest to the extension of the current vehicle lane as the target gate.

[0087] For example, as shown in Figure 4, if the road behind the gate branches into a first road Rt1 and a second road Rt2, and the second road Rt2 corresponds to the road after the gate for the vehicle, then the third gate Gt3 is set as the target gate. Note that not only the third gate Gt3, but also the fourth gate Gt4 is a gate that corresponds to the second road Rt2 as the road after the gate. The third gate Gt3 is closer to the vehicle's lane than the fourth gate Gt4. Therefore, in the scene shown in Figure 4, the processor 31 can set the third gate Gt3 as the target gate. Note that "Hv" in Figure 4 is a code indicating the vehicle.

[0088] Of course, if the third gate Gt3 satisfies certain non-use conditions, the processor 31 may set the fourth gate Gt4 as the target gate instead of the third gate Gt3. Non-use conditions include, for example, when the gate is blocked, when the settlement method is manual, or when the third gate Gt3 is more crowded than the fourth gate Gt4. The target gate selection algorithm may be changed as appropriate. The processor 31 may select the target gate from among the gates that can be settled automatically.

[0089] However, if the vehicle is unable to perform automatic payment processing, the processor 31 may select a target gate from among the gates that allow manual payment. Being unable to perform automatic payment processing refers to situations such as when the automatic payment card is not inserted into the designated on-board unit. If, from the standpoint of payment methods, there is only one gate the vehicle can pass through, the processor 31 may set that gate as the target gate. Similarly, if there is only one usable gate due to closure or other reasons, the processor 31 may also set that gate as the target gate. Furthermore, if no destination is set, the processor 31 may set a gate on the extension of the vehicle's lane as the target gate. Also, if no destination is set, the processor 31 may set a road capable of maintaining Level 3 mode as the road after the gate and then set that as the target gate.

[0090] Once the target gate is set, the processor 31 determines whether a lane change is necessary in advance of passing the target gate, based on the relationship between the position of the target gate and the current position of the vehicle (S104). A lane change in advance refers to a lane change in a section a certain distance away from the gate, rather than immediately before the gate. For example, a lane change in a section 50m or more away from the gate is considered a lane change in advance of passing the gate. A lane change in advance is an example of lateral movement toward the target gate. The determination of whether a lane change in advance is necessary includes steps S201 to S210, as shown in Figure 5, for example.

[0091] Step S201 is the step of identifying the gate in front of the vehicle, which is the gate corresponding to the current vehicle lane. The gate in front is the gate that lies on the extension of the vehicle lane. Step S202 is the step of determining whether the gate in front coincides with the target gate. If the gate in front coincides with the target gate (S202 YES), the processor 31 determines that a lane change is not necessary (S203).

[0092] On the other hand, if the front gate does not coincide with the target gate (S202 NO), the processor 31 determines whether the target gate is to the right of the front gate (S204). If the target gate is to the right of the front gate (S204 YES), the processor 31 further determines whether there is another lane to the right of the vehicle's lane (S205). If there is another lane to the right of the vehicle's lane (S205 YES), the processor 31 sets the right lane change flag to ON (S206). The right lane change flag indicates that it is necessary to change lanes to the right. "LC" in Figures 3, 5, etc., and in this document represents a lane change. If there is no other lane to the right of the vehicle's lane (S205 NO), the processor 31 sets the right movement hold flag to ON (S207). The right movement hold flag indicates that it is necessary to start moving when the vehicle becomes able to move to the right due to road widening, etc. When a flag is set to off, it means that the processor 31 does not need to perform the control associated with that flag.

[0093] Furthermore, if the target gate is to the left of the front gate (S204 NO), the processor 31 determines whether there is another lane to the left of the vehicle's lane (S208). If there is another lane to the left of the vehicle's lane (S208 YES), the processor 31 sets the left lane change flag to ON (S209). The left lane change flag indicates that the vehicle needs to change lanes to the left. If there is no other lane to the left of the vehicle's lane (S208 NO), the processor 31 sets the left movement hold flag to ON (S210). The left movement hold flag indicates that the vehicle needs to start moving to the left when the road widening makes it possible for the vehicle to move to the left.

[0094] If the right or left lane change flag is turned on in the above determination process, it corresponds to the case where a lane change is required beforehand (S104 YES). Also, if the target gate and the gate in front coincide, or if a lane change is not possible due to the road structure, it corresponds to the case where a lane change is not required (S104 NO).

[0095] If a lane change is not required (S104 NO), the processor 31 performs normal control (S105). Normal control is control that drives along the road toward the target gate, in other words, control that does not perform large lateral movements equivalent to a lane change. However, even when normal control is being executed, if the right movement hold flag or left movement hold flag is on, for example, when entering a laneless section before the gate or a road widening section, lateral movement toward the target gate will begin.

[0096] In this disclosure, a laneless section is a section of road where no lane markings are provided on the road surface. A laneless section may also include sections where lane markings / paint are provided only on the road leading to certain gates. Such laneless sections may exist before and after a gate. A laneless section before a gate is a laneless section located on the entrance side of the gate. A laneless section after a gate is a laneless section located on the exit side of the gate. The driving trajectory in a laneless section before a gate may be set to connect the end of the vehicle's lane with the target gate. A laneless section is often a section where the road width has been temporarily widened at the gate location. Therefore, the term "laneless section" may be replaced with "road widening section."

[0097] If the processor 31 determines that a lane change is necessary (S104 YES), it determines whether the remaining distance to the gate point has become less than a predetermined LC start distance (S106). The LC start distance is a parameter for initiating a lane change toward the target gate. The LC start distance may be set to a value smaller than the preparation start distance. The LC start distance may also be the same as the preparation start distance mentioned above. "Dlc" in the figure indicates the LC start distance. The LC start distance corresponds to the first distance. The preparation start distance and the LC start distance are set to values ​​larger than the length of the area in front of the gate so as to include the area in front of the gate, which will be described later.

[0098] If the remaining distance to the gate is less than the LC start distance, the processor 31 begins attempting to change lanes in the direction of the target gate (S107). Whether or not a lane change is actually possible depends on the traffic conditions in the target lane. Step S108 is a step to determine whether or not the lane change was successful. If the lane change was successful (S108 YES), normal control is performed (S105).

[0099] On the other hand, if the lane change is not yet complete, it is periodically determined whether or not the vehicle has entered the area in front of the gate (S109). The area in front of the gate is the section of road within a predetermined distance in front of the gate. The area in front of the gate corresponds to the opposite direction of travel. The area behind the gate corresponds to the direction of travel (direction of passage) set for the road or gate. The distance considered to be the area in front of the gate corresponds to the second distance. The second distance may be a fixed value such as 50m, 100m, or 150m. Alternatively, the second distance may be set to a larger value depending on the number of gates. The area in front of the gate may also be a laneless section in front of the gate. In that case, the length of the laneless section in front of the gate may correspond to the second distance.

[0100] If the lane change is not completed even after entering the area in front of the gate (S109 YES), the processor 31 executes temporary control. Temporary control corresponds to the control performed when it is difficult to move to a lane suitable for passing through the target gate in advance. In temporary control, the amount of lateral movement immediately before the gate may be relatively larger compared to normal control. Therefore, in temporary control, the distance to surrounding vehicles may decrease, and the possibility of reaching the system limit may be higher than when normal control is executed.

[0101] The temporary control may include steps S301 to S306, as shown in Figure 6, for example. Step S301 is the step of executing an eyes-on request. Step S301 corresponds to the step in which the system requests the driver to monitor the surrounding situation based on the fact that the vehicle has entered the area in front of the gate but has not yet moved to the lane corresponding to the target gate. Including an eyes-on request in the temporary control makes it easier for the driver to take over driving operations. The display of the eyes-on request icon image may continue until the vehicle reaches directly in front of the target gate.

[0102] Step S302 is a step in which the vehicle attempts to move laterally toward the target gate. Lateral movement here includes moving laterally while moving forward, that is, moving forward with the steering angle set to a predetermined value or greater. Lateral movement can also be called a change of course. Lateral movement includes changing lanes, as well as moving diagonally to the right or left in laneless sections. Attempting lateral movement may include moving straight along the road while the turn signal lamps are on.

[0103] Lateral movement trials may continue even in road sections where lane markings are provided. Furthermore, lateral movement trials may continue even after entering a laneless section before a gate. The speed during lateral movement trials may be limited to a predetermined value or less. The target speed during lateral movement trials may be set to a predetermined value smaller than the driver's set value. Here, the target speed is the target value for vehicle speed control. Also, when conducting lateral movement trials in laneless sections, the processor 31 may illuminate the hazard lights. The lateral movement performed in step S302 also corresponds to lateral movement in the direction of the target gate.

[0104] Step S303 is a step to determine whether or not the vehicle has entered an explicit / virtual lane following the target gate. An explicit lane following the target gate refers to a lane defined by lane markings that actually extend from the gate in the opposite direction of travel. A virtual lane refers to a lane that does not have lane markings but can be estimated from the orientation of the gate. A virtual lane can be determined from the trajectories of other vehicles, the direction in which the line of vehicles extends, the direction connecting the gate to the road, etc.

[0105] The lane leading to the target gate is, simply put, the road surface area located directly in front of the target gate. Therefore, step S303 can be understood as a step to determine whether or not the vehicle has reached the front of the target gate. If there is a queue of vehicles in front of the target gate, reaching the end of the queue is also included in the case of reaching the front of the target gate. If the vehicle has reached the front of the target gate (S303 YES), the processor 31 may return to normal control (S308). For example, returning to normal control may include stopping the illumination of the turn signals or hazard lights, and stopping the display on the external display device 18.

[0106] Step S304 is a step to determine whether the remaining distance to the gate point has become less than a predetermined gate change distance. The gate change distance is the distance required to change the target gate to the gate closest to the target gate within the reachable range from the current vehicle position. To distinguish it from the changed target gate, the original target gate is also referred to as the first choice gate. The changed target gate is also referred to as the second choice gate.

[0107] The gate change distance can be understood as one of the parameters that define the conditions under which the driver gives up on reaching the first-choice gate. In the figure, "Dc" represents the gate change distance. The gate change distance may be a constant value such as 25m, 50m, or 75m. Alternatively, the gate change distance may be set to a value corresponding to the length of the lane-less section before the gate, such as 50% or 25% of the length of the lane-less section before the gate. The gate change distance is set to be smaller than the second distance, which is the length of the area before the gate. In this disclosure, the gate change distance may also be called the third distance.

[0108] If the processor 31 fails to reach the front of the first-choice gate even when the remaining distance to the gate point is less than the gate change distance (S304 YES), it changes the target gate to the second-choice gate (S305). As mentioned above, the second-choice gate is the gate that the vehicle can reach without difficulty based on the remaining distance, and is the closest to the first-choice gate. The gate that is directly in front of the vehicle when the remaining distance becomes less than the gate change distance can become the second-choice gate. With the above configuration, lateral movement just before the gate is restricted, thus reducing the risk of contact with surrounding vehicles.

[0109] Step S306 is the step in which the vehicle passes through the second-choice gate using autonomous driving. Based on the fact that the vehicle has passed through the second-choice gate, the processor 31 issues a TOR (Transitional Outtake) warning (S307). When passing through the second-choice gate, the amount of lateral movement after passing through the gate is greater than when passing through the first-choice gate. In addition, in order for the vehicle to enter the road after the gate, it is necessary for the vehicle to cut in between other vehicles that have passed through the first-choice gate. Thus, when passing through the second-choice gate, there is a high possibility of reaching the system limit. By notifying the driver of the possibility of TOR in advance, a smoother driver changeover can be achieved.

[0110] The above temporary control corresponds to a TOR (Transfer to Change) warning issued when the remaining distance to the gate point becomes less than the gate change distance, but the vehicle is unable to move to the lane following the first preferred gate. The TOR warning may also be issued when the remaining distance to the gate point becomes less than the second distance, but the vehicle is unable to move to the lane following the first preferred gate. The processor 31 may issue the TOR warning before passing the second preferred gate. The execution conditions and timing of step S307 can be changed as appropriate.

[0111] Furthermore, when the right movement hold flag is set to ON, if space becomes available to the right due to road widening or the like, the processor 31 may travel toward the target gate in a trajectory approximately parallel to the right edge of the road. Also, when the left movement hold flag is set to ON, if space becomes available to the left of the vehicle due to road widening or the like, the processor 31 may travel toward the target gate in a trajectory approximately parallel to the left edge of the road.

[0112] <Example of control of operating modes> As shown in Figure 7, the processor 31 may automatically change its operating mode depending on the vehicle's position relative to the gate. Figure 7 illustrates a pattern in which the processor 31 maintains Level 3 mode in the normal area and switches to Level 2 mode near the gate. The processor 31 may also be in hands-off Level 2 mode in the area before the gate and switch to hands-on Level 2 mode in the area after the gate. Notifications regarding mode changes are provided as needed.

[0113] Vehicle tracks are more likely to intersect after a gate than before. Therefore, driving in the area immediately after passing through a gate is more likely to require sophisticated judgment or communication with other vehicles. By lowering the level of automation after passing through the gate compared to before, drivers can respond appropriately based on their own judgment in the above-mentioned scenarios. As a result, smoother traffic flow can be achieved.

[0114] Here, the post-gate area refers to the area within 50m or 100m of the gate in the direction of road extension. The processor 31 may also consider the laneless section after the gate as the post-gate area. If a branching point exists after the gate, the processor 31 may also consider the area up to the branching point as the post-gate area. The normal area refers to the area that is neither the pre-gate area nor the post-gate area.

[0115] Of course, the processor 31 may apply the hands-off level 2 mode when traveling in the post-gate region, just as it does when traveling in the pre-gate region. The operating mode after passing through the gate may be changed depending on whether or not the first-choice gate has been reached. If the first-choice gate has been passed, the processor 31 may maintain the hands-off level 2 mode after passing through the gate, while if the first-choice gate has not been passed, it may set the operating mode after passing through the gate to the hands-on level 2 mode.

[0116] Furthermore, since the lateral movement is greater in the pre-gate region, some argue that the driver should be more involved in driving operations when traveling in the pre-gate region than when traveling in the post-gate region. Therefore, as shown in Figure 8, the processor 31 may be configured to be in hands-on level 2 mode in the pre-gate region and hands-off level 2 mode in the post-gate region. This control policy also has the effect of making it easier to pass through gates according to the driver's preference.

[0117] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the processor 31 may maintain Level 3 mode even when passing through a gate. In this case, the processor 31 may request the driver to use eyes-on or hands-on control while maintaining Level 3 mode. In addition, a TOR (Transmission of Traffic) warning may be issued depending on whether the first-choice gate has been passed and whether lateral movement is required after passing through the gate. This configuration allows the driver to act as a partner / assistant in driving operations, potentially increasing safety. It also has the advantage that, if a change of driving operation from the system to the driver becomes necessary, the driver can smoothly take over driving operations. Thus, the processor 31 may maintain Level 3 mode in the area before the gate. The processor 31 may switch from Level 3 mode to Level 2 mode if lateral movement toward the road after passing through the gate is required.

[0118] The above description concerns the case where the operating mode at the point when the distance to the gate is less than the preparation start distance is Level 3 mode. The above explanation is also applicable when the operating mode at the point when the distance to the gate is less than the preparation start distance is Hands-off Level 2 mode. For example, as shown in Figure 10, Hands-off Level 2 mode may be applied in the normal region, while switching to Hands-on Level 2 mode in the post-gate region. Whether or not to maintain Hands-off Level 2 mode in the pre-gate region may be changed depending on whether or not lateral movement is required in the pre-gate region. If lateral movement is not required in the post-gate region, the processor 31 may maintain Hands-off Level 2 mode in the post-gate region as well.

[0119] <Example of setting a target gate> The target gate designated as the first choice gate does not necessarily have to be a gate located directly in front of the road behind the gate. The processor 31 may select the first choice gate from among the gates that do not correspond to the road behind the gate, as long as the lateral movement in front of the gate is greater than or equal to the lateral movement behind the gate.

[0120] Here, the lateral movement before the gate refers to the amount of lateral movement before passing through the gate. The lateral movement before the gate is expressed by the number of lane changes before passing through the gate. The lateral movement after the gate refers to the amount of lateral movement required to enter the road after passing through the gate. In this disclosure, the amount of movement required to pass through the gate is also referred to as the total lateral movement. The total lateral movement is the lateral distance from the front gate corresponding to the vehicle's lane to the gate corresponding to the road after the gate when the distance to the gate point is less than the preparation start distance. The lateral movement after the gate is the value obtained by subtracting the lateral movement before the gate from the total lateral movement.

[0121] The processor 31 preferably sets the gate that minimizes lateral movement after the gate from among the gates that do not correspond to the road after the gate as the first preferred gate. For the sake of simplicity, the amount of lateral movement is expressed here as the number of lanes / the number of gates, but in reality it may be expressed in meters or other units.

[0122] For example, as shown in Figure 12, the total lateral movement of a vehicle when moving from lane 1 to road 2 Rt2 is 4 lanes. This is because the front gate is gate 2 Gt2, and the nearest gate corresponding to road 2 Rt2 is gate 6 Gt6. In the figure, to clearly indicate the front gate of the vehicle's lane and the gate corresponding to road 2 Rt2, a virtual extension line from the vehicle's lane to the gate and an extension line from road 2 Rt2 to the gate are shown using a dot pattern hatching. Note that gates 7 Gt7 and 8 Gt8 also correspond to gates corresponding to road 2 Rt2. In Figure 11, the gate located to the left of gate 5 Gt5 corresponds to the gate of road 1 Rt1.

[0123] As shown in Figure 11, if the total lateral movement is 4, the processor 31 may allocate 3 to the lateral movement before the gate and 1 to the lateral movement after the gate, and set the fifth gate Gt5 as the target gate. When the vehicle is in the area before the gate, it is difficult to detect objects in the area after the gate due to the gate. If the target gate is set so that the lateral movement after the gate is greater than the lateral movement before the gate, the difficulty of control after passing through the gate increases. This is because there may be obstacles that were not detected before passing through the gate. When comparing the area before the gate and the area after the gate, the possibility of overlooking surrounding vehicles is smaller in the area before the gate. Safety can be improved by setting the target gate so that the lateral movement before the gate is greater than or equal to the lateral movement after the gate.

[0124] Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the processor 31 corresponding to the above technical concept. Step S401 is a step to determine whether lateral movement is necessary to enter the road after the gate. Step S401 may include a step to identify the front gate corresponding to the current vehicle lane and the gate corresponding to the road after the gate, and to calculate the total lateral movement amount. Note that if the front gate corresponds to the road after the gate, the total lateral movement amount may be 0. Step S401 may be performed when the remaining distance to the gate point falls below a predetermined value. The predetermined value here may be the preparation start distance, or it may be a different value from the preparation start distance.

[0125] Step S402 is a step in which a target gate is set such that the lateral movement in front of the gate is greater than or equal to the lateral movement behind the gate, and a travel path is created. In this step, it is preferable to set the target gate so that the lateral movement behind the gate is as small as possible. In the figure, "ΔX_bfr" represents the lateral movement in front of the gate, and "ΔX_aft" represents the lateral movement behind the gate.

[0126] <Example of operation when moving laterally in the area after the gate> As shown in Figure 13, if the processor 31 needs to move laterally in the area after the gate (S501), it may perform external notification control immediately after passing through the gate (S502). External notification control is a control that notifies surrounding vehicles of the direction of movement of the vehicle.

[0127] External notification control may be the activation of the turn signal. External notification control may also be a control that alternates between activating the hazard lights and activating the turn signal. External notification control may also include sounding the horn. External notification control may include displaying an image on the external display device 18 that indicates the direction of the vehicle's movement, or an image requesting permission to cut in to a vehicle behind in the direction of movement. External notification control may also include activating / flashing the welcome lamp in the direction of movement. External notification control may also be a control that sequentially activates multiple devices that emit light / sound toward the outside of the vehicle. For example, external notification control may include a sequence that, after activating the turn signal, activates the hazard lights, sounds the horn, and displays an image indicating the direction of movement on the external display device 18.

[0128] External notification control may be a control that flashes the turn signals in a pattern different from the normal state. Components of the flashing pattern include the flashing rhythm and speed, the ratio of on time to off time, and the speed at which the lights become brighter. External notification control may also be a control that flashes the turn signals corresponding to the direction of movement at a higher flashing speed than the normal state. Normal state refers to scenes other than immediately before and after a gate, such as when turning right or left, or when changing lanes in a straight section. In this disclosure, the flashing speed of the turn signals in normal state is referred to as the first flashing speed, and the flashing speed in external notification control is referred to as the second flashing speed. The first flashing speed may be 70 times / minute, for example. The second flashing speed is set to a value that is a predetermined amount greater than the first flashing speed. The second flashing speed may be set to the maximum value of the flashing speed stipulated by law, etc. For example, the second flashing speed may be set to 120 times / minute or 100 times / minute. The processor 31 may continue external notification control until the lateral movement is completed, or it may stop at a timing after a certain period of time has elapsed since the start of execution.

[0129] Furthermore, the processor 31 may also perform external notification control while attempting lateral movement in the lane-less section before the gate. External notification control before the gate may have a weaker notification intensity (level of appeal) than external notification control after the gate. The faster the flashing speed or the greater the light intensity, the stronger the notification. Also, the more devices used for external notification control, the stronger the notification. These controls correspond to performing at least one of the following actions when moving laterally in the lane-less section: activating the turn signal, activating the hazard lights, activating the horn, and displaying an image indicating the direction of movement on the external display device 18.

[0130] Furthermore, even if the processor 31 fails to pass through the first-choice gate, if it is not necessary to change lanes immediately after passing the gate, it may change lanes after traveling a certain distance. Situations where it is not necessary to change lanes immediately after passing the gate include, for example, when the distance from the gate to the branching point is 300m or more. The LC release distance, which is the distance at which a lane change is permitted when it is not necessary to change lanes immediately after passing the gate, may be 100m or 200m, for example.

[0131] The connection point between the branch road and the main road corresponds to the final lane change point, which is the point where the processor 31 needs to complete the lane change. Cases where an immediate lane change is not required include cases where the distance from the gate point to the final lane change point is greater than or equal to the LC release distance. The processor 31 may also be configured to attempt a lane change after exiting the gate area, even if it is not possible to pass through the first preferred gate, if an immediate lane change is not required. In the normal area compared to the area after the gate, the paths of surrounding vehicles can be expected to be more stable. With the above configuration, lane changes can be performed more safely.

[0132] <Control of the preceding vehicle following function> As shown in Figure 14, if the processor 31 is following the preceding vehicle when the remaining distance to the gate point falls below a predetermined value (S601 YES), it may turn off the function of following the preceding vehicle (S602). This is because the gate that the preceding vehicle wants to pass through and the target gate of the own vehicle may be different. The processor 31 may also cancel the following state based on the fact that the preceding vehicle has started to move laterally toward a gate different from the target gate of the own vehicle.

[0133] If the preceding vehicle follow control is turned off in the gate area, the processor 31 may set the target speed to the basic speed for passing through the gate (S603). "Vbs" in the figure represents the basic speed. The basic speed may be a constant value such as 20 km / h. The basic speed may also be a value obtained by multiplying the maximum passing speed by a predetermined coefficient. The maximum passing speed is the maximum speed at which a vehicle can pass through the gate. The maximum passing speed may be a constant value, or a unique value for each gate may be dynamically applied. The processor 31 may obtain the maximum passing speed corresponding to the gate by referring to map data, or by image recognition of speed limit signs installed near the gate. The processor 31 may also obtain the maximum passing speed by wireless communication with a roadside unit.

[0134] Of course, the processor 31 may keep the preceding vehicle following function turned on even near the gate. In that case, the processor 31 may change the gate passage speed depending on whether or not it can recognize the preceding vehicle. The gate passage speed is the set vehicle speed at the time of passing through the gate, in other words, the target speed. If the processor 31 can recognize the preceding vehicle at a predetermined distance (for example, 15m) before the gate, it sets the gate passage speed to a predetermined value higher than when the preceding vehicle is not recognized. For convenience, the speed applied when the preceding vehicle is not recognized will be called the first speed, and the speed applied when the preceding vehicle is recognized will be called the second speed. Both the first speed and the second speed are set to a value smaller than the maximum passage speed.

[0135] For example, if the maximum passing speed is set to 20 km / h, the first speed may be set to 10 km / h and the second speed to 20 km / h. If the maximum passing speed is Vmx, the first speed is Vgt1, and the second speed is Vgt2, then Vgt1 may be determined as Vgt1 = α·Vmx and Vgt2 = β·Vmx. β is a coefficient set to a value between 0.8 and 1.0, for example. α is set to a value between 0.5 and β. α may be any value smaller than β.

[0136] When the system recognizes a preceding vehicle and is following it, there are situations where it is preferable to maintain the following state as much as possible. When following a preceding vehicle, the risk of losing sight of the preceding vehicle can be reduced by adopting the fastest possible value within the maximum passing speed range as the gate passing speed. If, as a result of applying the second speed, the distance to the preceding vehicle falls below a predetermined value, the processor 31 may decelerate to maintain an appropriate distance / time between vehicles.

[0137] Figure 15 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the processor 31 corresponding to the above technical concept. Step S610 is a step in which it is determined whether or not the preceding vehicle can be recognized at a predetermined distance before the gate. If the preceding vehicle is not recognized before the gate (S611 NO), the processor 31 sets the gate passage speed to the first speed, while if the preceding vehicle is recognized before the gate, the processor 31 sets the gate passage speed to the second speed. In the figure, "Vgt" represents the gate passage speed, "Vgt1" represents the first speed, and "Vgt2" represents the second speed.

[0138] Furthermore, if the processor 31 recognizes a preceding vehicle at a predetermined distance before the gate, it may adopt the speed at which the preceding vehicle passed through the gate as the gate passage speed of its own vehicle. Specifically, as shown in Figure 16, if the processor 31 recognizes a preceding vehicle before the gate (S621 YES), it obtains the speed at which the preceding vehicle passed through the gate (S623). "Vprevc" in the figure represents the speed at which the preceding vehicle passed through the gate. The processor 31 then sets the gate passage speed of its own vehicle to the speed at which the preceding vehicle passed through the gate (S624). If the processor 31 does not recognize a preceding vehicle before the gate (S621 NO), it sets the gate passage speed to the base speed (S622). "Vbs" in the figure represents the base speed.

[0139] The preceding vehicle that has passed through the gate may accelerate. On the other hand, it is undesirable for the vehicle itself to accelerate before passing through the gate. With the above configuration, the vehicle does not follow the real-time speed of the preceding vehicle. With the above configuration, it is possible to suppress unnecessary acceleration before passing through the gate.

[0140] <Summary of Examples> The processor 31 described above starts moving towards the lane leading to the target gate based on the fact that the remaining distance to the gate point falls below a predetermined value. With this configuration, it is possible to approach the target gate gradually with ample time. In other words, the amount of lateral movement just before the gate can be reduced. Not only the area after the gate, but also the area just before the gate is a section where the trajectories of vehicles are relatively likely to intersect. With the above configuration, the possibility of dangerously close proximity with other vehicles near the gate can be further reduced. Dangerously close proximity here refers to a state in which the vehicles are so close that the driver feels there is a risk of collision, for example, a state in which the distance between vehicles is less than 0.5m.

[0141] The processor 31 informs the driver that it may terminate the automated driving control if the remaining distance to the target gate falls below a predetermined value but the vehicle has not yet reached the lane leading to the target gate. With this configuration, even if a situation arises where a TOR (Transportation Order) must be implemented, a smooth driver handover may be possible.

[0142] Furthermore, the processor 31 can change the target speed when passing through the target gate depending on whether or not it recognizes the preceding vehicle. For example, if the preceding vehicle is not recognized, a relatively slower first speed is applied as the target speed, while if the preceding vehicle is recognized, a relatively faster second speed is applied as the target speed. This configuration reduces the risk of losing sight of the preceding vehicle. Also, if the preceding vehicle is not recognized, the vehicle passes through the gate at a lower speed than when the preceding vehicle is recognized, thus improving safety.

[0143] Of course, if the processor 31 can recognize the preceding vehicle, it may use the speed at which the preceding vehicle passes through the gate as the target speed. This control corresponds to reproducing the behavior of the preceding vehicle when passing through the gate. By having the vehicle behave similarly to the preceding vehicle, the risk of disrupting the flow of traffic can be reduced.

[0144] When the processor 31 performs lateral movement in a laneless section, it performs at least one of the following external notification controls: activating the turn signal, illuminating the hazard lights, activating the horn, and displaying an image indicating the direction of movement on the external display device 18. This configuration makes it easier for drivers of surrounding vehicles to recognize the behavior of the vehicle. As a result, the possibility of dangerously close approaches can be reduced.

[0145] Furthermore, if the processor 31 needs to move laterally after passing through the gate, it activates the turn signals as external notification control while passing through the gate or while moving a predetermined distance after passing through the target gate. This configuration has the advantage that drivers of surrounding vehicles can recognize the behavior of their vehicle after passing through the gate at an early stage.

[0146] The processor 31 sets the target gate such that the amount of lateral movement after passing the gate is less than the amount of lateral movement before passing the gate. In other words, the processor 31 generates the travel trajectory near the gate such that the amount of lateral movement after passing the gate is less than the amount of lateral movement before passing the gate. With this configuration, safety can be enhanced as described above.

[0147] Even if the vehicle fails to pass through the first-choice gate, if there is no immediate need to change lanes, the processor 31 will attempt to change lanes after exiting the gate area. This configuration further enhances safety.

[0148] In a configuration where the target gate is set based on map data, it is possible that the system may only recognize that the target gate is impassable due to a broken-down vehicle or the like after approaching the target gate. This is because it takes time for such dynamic events to be reflected in the map data. If the processor 31 detects another vehicle reversing or with its hazard lights on at the target gate using the camera 111 or the like, it may change the target gate or request a driver change. Similarly, if the processor 31 detects that the target gate is blocked, it may change the target gate or request a driver change. Changing the target gate in the above scenario can improve the continuity of autonomous driving. Furthermore, if the system implements a driver change in the above scenario, the driver can be entrusted with responding to unforeseen circumstances.

[0149] <Determination of entry into a gate area using a map> Map data may include node data and link data. Node data is data about feature points (nodes) on multiple roads. For example, points where roads intersect, merge, or diverge, points where lanes increase or decrease, and gate locations are set as nodes. Link data is data about road sections (links) connecting nodes. Link data includes data such as a link ID, which is a unique number that identifies the link; link length, which indicates the length of the link; link direction; link shape information; node coordinates or node numbers of the start and end points of the link; and road attributes. Node data includes data such as a node ID, which is a unique number for each node; node location coordinates; name; type; and link IDs of links connected to the node.

[0150] Such node data may include in-node map data showing the road shape of the area associated with that node. In-node map data corresponds to partial map data within a certain range relative to the node.

[0151] If the map data stored in the map storage unit 14 includes node-specific map data as described above, the processor 31 may perform various processes from step S103 onward based on the fact that the vehicle has entered the range indicated by the node-specific map data associated with the gate point. In other words, if the remaining distance to the gate point falls below a predetermined value, this also includes the case where the vehicle has entered the range indicated by the node-specific map data associated with the gate point. The gate area may be the range indicated by the node-specific map data associated with the gate point.

[0152] <Example of application to a scene where the number of lanes decreases after a gate> The above describes the operation of the processor 31 when a branch road exists behind the gate point, but is not limited to this. This disclosure is also applicable when there is only one road behind the gate point, in other words, when there is no branch road, as shown in Figure 17. When there is only one road behind the gate as shown in Figure 17, that road corresponds to the road behind the gate.

[0153] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 17, the road width and number of lanes may decrease within a predetermined distance behind the toll road. If the width of the road after the gate is smaller than the width of the road at the gate, for example, the trajectory of a vehicle passing through the rightmost or leftmost gate may be oblique to the direction of road extension. In other words, even if there is no branch road behind the gate, if the area after the gate has a structure that reduces the road width, the trajectories of vehicles are more likely to intersect. Therefore, collisions between vehicles are more likely to occur.

[0154] To address such challenges, the processor 31 in this disclosure, as described above, sets the gate located in front of the road after the gate from among multiple gates, thereby suppressing the amount of lateral movement after the gate even in road structures like the one shown in Figure 17. As a result, there is no need to cut in on the line of vehicles entering the road after the gate in the area after the gate. In Figure 17, the second gate Gt2, the third gate Gt3, and the fourth gate Gt4 correspond to the gates that correspond to the road after the gate. If the vehicle's lane is the first lane, the second gate Gt2 can be the target gate. However, if the second gate Gt2 is closed or does not support the vehicle's payment method, another gate, such as the third gate Gt3, may be set as the target gate.

[0155] The determination process in steps S104 to S109, including steps S201 to S210, may be repeated until the target gate becomes the gate directly in front of the vehicle. Lane changes toward the target gate may be performed multiple times. Furthermore, virtual lanes can exist even in sections without designated lanes. Virtual lanes can be understood as trajectories that many vehicles use, in other words, trajectories that are reasonable and rational. For these reasons, lateral movement in sections without designated lanes may also be included in lane changes.

[0156] The above description of the processor 31 describes a configuration in which a road section where the remaining distance to the gate point is less than or equal to the preparation start distance is considered the preparation distance. However, the processor 31 may also be configured to consider the area in front of the gate as the preparation section. Furthermore, the processor 31 may also be configured to consider a laneless section as the preparation section.

[0157] <Regarding vehicles to which this disclosure applies> The embodiments described above are applicable to a variety of vehicles that travel on roads. This disclosure can be installed on a variety of vehicles that can travel on roads, including four-wheeled vehicles, two-wheeled vehicles, three-wheeled vehicles, etc. Motorized bicycles can also be included in the category of two-wheeled vehicles. The vehicle may be an electric vehicle or an engine-powered vehicle. Electric vehicles may include not only electric vehicles but also plug-in hybrid vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. The vehicles to which the system / device / method etc. of this disclosure is applied may be privately owned cars or service vehicles. Service vehicles refer to vehicles used for car-sharing services or vehicle rental services, for example. Service vehicles include taxis, route buses, and public transport buses.

[0158] <Additional remark (1)> This specification discloses several technical concepts and several combinations thereof, as listed below. Vehicle control methods and computer programs corresponding to these technical concepts are also included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0159] [Technical thought 1] A vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, Based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data, information about gate locations, which are points on toll roads where multiple gates are installed, is obtained. After the vehicle passes through the aforementioned gate point, data is acquired regarding the road after the gate, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on. Among the multiple gates provided at the aforementioned gate location, the gate closest to the road behind the gate is set as the target gate. A vehicle control device that, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a preparation section located in front of the target gate, initiates lateral movement toward the direction in which the target gate is located.

[0160] [Technical thought 2] The aforementioned vehicle control device is The vehicle control device according to Technical Concept 1, wherein, when the remaining distance to the target gate falls below a predetermined value, the vehicle has not yet completed lane movement toward the target gate, the vehicle changes the target gate to another gate and performs a process to inform the driver that the automatic driving control may be terminated.

[0161] [Technical thought 3] The subsystem for the aforementioned automated driving control includes a preceding vehicle following control unit (F51) that performs preceding vehicle following control to drive the vehicle so as to follow the preceding vehicle at a predetermined distance, A vehicle control device according to technical concept 1 or 2, which changes the target speed when passing through the target gate depending on whether or not the preceding vehicle is recognized.

[0162] [Technical thought 4] If the preceding vehicle is being tracked, the target speed is set to a predetermined first speed corresponding to the maximum speed permitted when passing through the gate, A vehicle control device according to technical concept 3, wherein if the preceding vehicle has not been detected, a second speed lower than the first speed is set as the target speed.

[0163] [Technical thought 5] If the preceding vehicle is being tracked, the speed at which the preceding vehicle passes through the gate is set to the target speed, A vehicle control device according to technical concept 3, which, if the preceding vehicle is not recognized, sets the target speed to a predetermined value smaller than the maximum speed permitted when passing through the gate.

[0164] [Technical Thought 6] Based on the output signal of the surrounding monitoring sensor, the wireless signal received from the external device, or the map data, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is traveling in a laneless section where no lane markings exist. When moving laterally in the aforementioned lane-less section, the system is configured to execute a predetermined external notification control. The vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 5, wherein the external notification control includes at least one of activating the turn signal, illuminating the hazard lights, activating the horn, illuminating the welcome lights, and displaying an image indicating the direction of travel on an external display device.

[0165] [Technical Thought 7] A vehicle control device according to any one of technical concepts 1 to 6, wherein, when moving laterally after passing the gate, the turn signal is activated from the time the vehicle is passing the target gate, or before it has traveled a predetermined distance after passing the gate.

[0166] [Technical Thought 8] A vehicle control device according to any one of the technical concepts 1 to 7, wherein the target gate is set such that the amount of lateral movement after passing the target gate is less than the amount of lateral movement before passing the target gate.

[0167] [Technical Thought 9] A vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Concepts 1 to 8, which, when it detects that there is another vehicle reversing in front of the target gate, another vehicle with its hazard lights on, or that the target gate is blocked, changes the target gate or issues a request for a driver change.

[0168] [Technical Thought 10] A vehicle control device according to any one of technical concepts 1 to 9, configured to switch between a first mode in which the aforementioned automated driving control is performed without the obligation to monitor the surroundings, and a second mode in which the aforementioned automated driving control is performed with the obligation to monitor the surroundings, A vehicle control device that maintains the second mode while traveling within a predetermined distance from the gate point.

[0169] [Technical Thought 11] If the remaining distance to the aforementioned gate falls below a predetermined value, but the movement to the lane connected to the target gate has not been completed, the target gate shall be changed to another gate. To determine whether or not a lane change is necessary after passing the newly established target gate, If it is determined that a lane change is necessary, the final point of change, which is the point where the lane change must be completed, A vehicle control device according to any one of technical concepts 1 to 10, wherein if the final lane change point is more than a predetermined distance away from the gate, the lane change is performed after moving a predetermined distance away from the gate.

[0170] [Technical Thought 12] A vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Concepts 1 to 11, wherein, if no destination is set, the gate located on the extension of the lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling is set as the target gate.

[0171] [Technical Thought 13] The subsystem for the aforementioned automated driving control includes a preceding vehicle following control unit (F51) that performs preceding vehicle following control to drive the vehicle so as to follow the preceding vehicle at a predetermined distance, A vehicle control device according to any one of technical concepts 1 to 12, which stops the preceding vehicle following control based on the remaining distance to the gate being less than a predetermined value.

[0172] [Technical Thought 14] A vehicle control device according to any one of the technical concepts 1 to 12, which sets a target speed, which is a target value for the driving speed, to a predetermined value for passing through the gate, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a gate area, which is an area determined based on the aforementioned gate point.

[0173] [Technical Thought 15] A vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, Based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data, information about gate locations, which are points on toll roads where multiple gates are installed, is obtained. A vehicle control device that, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a gate area which is a designated area, sets the target speed, which is a target value for the driving speed, to a predetermined value for passing through the gate.

[0174] <Additional remarks (2)> The various flowcharts shown in this disclosure are all examples, and the number of steps constituting the flowchart and the order of execution of the processes can be changed as appropriate. The various processing flows shown in this disclosure may be carried out in parallel with, in combination with, or partially replacing other processes. The expression in this disclosure that corresponds to the case when the remaining distance to the gate point falls below a predetermined value may be replaced with the case when the vehicle enters the gate area. For example, step S102 may be a step that determines whether or not the vehicle has entered the gate area.

[0175] Furthermore, the devices, systems, and methods described in this disclosure may be implemented by a dedicated computer comprising a processor programmed to execute one or more functions embodied by a computer program. The devices and methods described in this disclosure may also be implemented using dedicated hardware logic circuits. The devices and methods described in this disclosure may also be implemented by one or more dedicated computers comprising a combination of a processor that executes a computer program and one or more hardware logic circuits. For example, some or all of the functions of processor 31 may be implemented as hardware. Embodiments of implementing a certain function as hardware include embodiments using one or more ICs, etc. As the processor (arithmetic core), a CPU, MPU, GPU, DFP (Data Flow Processor), etc., can be used. Some or all of the functions of processor 31 may be implemented using a system-on-a-chip (SoC), integrated circuit (IC), or field-programmable gate array (FPGA). A computer program only needs to be stored on a computer-readable, non-transitory tangible storage medium as instructions executed by a computer. Suitable storage media for programs include HDDs (Hard-disk drives), SSDs (Solid State Drives), flash memory, etc. The scope of this disclosure also includes the form of a program that causes a computer to function as a processor 31, and the non-transitory tangible storage medium such as semiconductor memory on which this program is stored. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0176] 11 Surround monitoring sensor, 14 Map storage unit, 15 Wireless communication device, 18 External display device, 21 Display, 22 Speaker, 30 Automated driving ECU, 31 Processor, 32 Memory, F1 Information acquisition unit, F2 Environment recognition unit, F21 Gate recognition unit, F22 Surround vehicle recognition unit, F3 Mode control unit, F4 Planning unit, F5 Control execution unit, F51 ACC system (Adaptive Cruise Control Unit), F52 Notification control unit, Fn Vehicle control unit, Sys Automated driving system

Claims

1. A vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, Based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data, information about gate locations, which are points on toll roads where multiple gates are installed, is obtained. After the vehicle passes through the aforementioned gate point, data is acquired regarding the road after the gate, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on. Among the multiple gates provided at the aforementioned gate location, the gate closest to the road behind the gate is set as the target gate. The system is configured to perform the following actions: upon the vehicle entering the preparation section located in front of the target gate, it begins to move laterally toward the direction where the target gate is located; and further, A vehicle control device configured to change the target gate to another gate and notify the driver that the automatic driving control may be terminated if the remaining distance to the target gate falls below a predetermined value and the lane change toward the target gate has not been completed.

2. The subsystem for the aforementioned automatic driving control includes a preceding vehicle following control unit (F51) that performs preceding vehicle following control to drive the vehicle so as to follow the preceding vehicle at a predetermined distance, The vehicle control device according to claim 1, which changes the target speed when passing through the target gate depending on whether or not the preceding vehicle is recognized.

3. If the preceding vehicle is recognized, the target speed is set to a predetermined first speed corresponding to the maximum speed permitted when passing through the gate, The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein if the preceding vehicle is not recognized, a second speed lower than the first speed is set to the target speed.

4. If the preceding vehicle is recognized, the speed at which the preceding vehicle passes through the gate is set as the target speed, The vehicle control device according to claim 2, which, if the preceding vehicle is not recognized, sets the target speed to a predetermined value smaller than the maximum speed permitted when passing through the gate.

5. Based on the output signal of the surrounding monitoring sensor, the wireless signal received from the external device, or the map data, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is traveling in a laneless section where no lane markings exist. When moving laterally in the aforementioned lane-less section, the system is configured to execute a predetermined external notification control. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the external notification control includes at least one of activating the turn signal, illuminating the hazard lights, activating the horn, illuminating the welcome lights, and displaying an image indicating the direction of travel on an external display device.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, when moving laterally after passing through the gate, the turn signal is activated from the time the vehicle is passing through the target gate, or before it has traveled a predetermined distance after passing through the gate.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the target gate is set such that the amount of lateral movement after passing the target gate is less than the amount of lateral movement before passing the target gate.

8. A vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, Based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data, information about gate locations, which are points on toll roads where multiple gates are installed, is obtained. After the vehicle passes through the aforementioned gate point, data is acquired regarding the road after the gate, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on. Among the multiple gates provided at the aforementioned gate location, the gate closest to the road behind the gate is set as the target gate. The system is configured to perform the following actions: upon the vehicle entering the preparation section located in front of the target gate, it begins to move laterally toward the direction where the target gate is located; and further, A vehicle control device is configured to change the target gate or issue a request for a driver change if it detects that there is another vehicle reversing in front of the target gate, another vehicle with its hazard lights on in front of the target gate, or that the target gate is blocked.

9. A vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, The system is configured to allow switching between a first mode in which the aforementioned automated driving control is performed without the obligation to monitor the surroundings, and a second mode in which the aforementioned automated driving control is performed with the obligation to monitor the surroundings. Based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data, information about gate locations, which are points on toll roads where multiple gates are installed, is obtained. After the vehicle passes through the aforementioned gate point, data is acquired regarding the road after the gate, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on. Among the multiple gates provided at the aforementioned gate location, the gate closest to the road behind the gate is set as the target gate. The system is configured to perform the following actions: upon the vehicle entering the preparation section located in front of the target gate, it begins to move laterally toward the direction where the target gate is located; and further, A vehicle control device configured to maintain the second mode while traveling within a predetermined distance from the gate point.

10. A vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, Based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data, information about gate locations, which are points on toll roads where multiple gates are installed, is obtained. After the vehicle passes through the aforementioned gate point, data is acquired regarding the road after the gate, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on. Among the multiple gates provided at the aforementioned gate location, the gate closest to the road behind the gate is set as the target gate. Based on the vehicle entering the preparation section located in front of the target gate, it begins to move laterally in the direction of the target gate. If the remaining distance to the aforementioned gate falls below a predetermined value, but the movement to the lane connected to the target gate has not been completed, the target gate shall be changed to another gate. To determine whether or not a lane change is necessary after passing the newly established target gate, If it is determined that a lane change is necessary, the final point of change, which is the point where the lane change must be completed, A vehicle control device configured to perform the following actions: if the final lane change point is more than a predetermined distance away from the gate, the vehicle control device will start changing lanes after moving a predetermined distance away from the gate.

11. A vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, Based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data, information about gate locations, which are points on toll roads where multiple gates are installed, is obtained. After the vehicle passes through the aforementioned gate point, data is acquired regarding the road after the gate, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on. Among the multiple gates provided at the aforementioned gate location, the gate closest to the road behind the gate is set as the target gate. If no destination is set, the gate located on the extension of the lane the vehicle is currently traveling in will be set as the target gate. A vehicle control device that, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a preparation section located in front of the target gate, initiates lateral movement toward the direction in which the target gate is located.

12. The subsystem for the aforementioned automatic driving control includes a preceding vehicle following control unit (F51) that performs preceding vehicle following control to drive the vehicle so as to follow the preceding vehicle at a predetermined distance, A vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, which stops the preceding vehicle following control based on the remaining distance to the gate being less than a predetermined value.

13. A vehicle control device that performs automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, The subsystem for the aforementioned automatic driving control includes a preceding vehicle following control unit (F51) that performs preceding vehicle following control to drive the vehicle so as to follow the preceding vehicle at a predetermined distance, Based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data, information about gate locations, which are points on toll roads where multiple gates are installed, is obtained. After the vehicle passes through the aforementioned gate point, data is acquired regarding the road after the gate, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on. Among the multiple gates provided at the aforementioned gate location, the gate closest to the road behind the gate is set as the target gate. Based on the vehicle entering the preparation section located in front of the target gate, it begins to move laterally in the direction of the target gate. A vehicle control device that performs the following of a preceding vehicle based on the remaining distance to the gate being less than a predetermined value.

14. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, which sets a target speed, which is a target value for the driving speed, to a predetermined value for passing through the gate, based on the fact that the vehicle has entered a gate area, which is an area determined based on the gate point.

15. A vehicle control method for performing automatic driving control to make a vehicle move autonomously, Based on the output signals of surrounding monitoring sensors, wireless signals received from external devices, or map data, information about gate locations, which are points on toll roads where multiple gates are installed, is obtained. After the vehicle passes through the aforementioned gate point, data is acquired regarding the road after the gate, which is the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on. Among the multiple gates provided at the aforementioned gate location, the gate closest to the road behind the gate is set as the target gate. Based on the vehicle entering the preparation section located in front of the target gate, it begins to move laterally in the direction of the target gate. A vehicle control method that includes, when the remaining distance to the target gate falls below a predetermined value, if the lane change toward the target gate has not been completed, changing the target gate to another gate and informing the driver that the automatic driving control may be terminated.

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