Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

Abstract

According to the present invention, a processor provided in a driving system acquires gate region information, which is information relating to a gate region through which a host vehicle is scheduled to pass on an expressway, on the basis of map data or the like. The gate region information includes the presence or absence of lane markings before and after the gate, the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the entrance-side road, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the exit-side road. The processor determines an operating mode to be used when traveling through the gate region on the basis of the gate region information. For example, if there are lane markings in the region in front of the gate, an automated driving mode is maintained even in the gate region, whereas if there are no lane markings in the region in front of the gate, the operating mode when traveling through the gate region is set to a hands-off level 2 mode.

Description

Vehicle control device and vehicle control method CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on Patent Application No. 2024-044318 filed in Japan on March 20, 2024, and the contents of the original application are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control technique for passing through a gate installed on a road.

[0003] Patent Literature 1 discloses a vehicle control device that automatically drives a vehicle through a toll road gate. The vehicle control device can change the gate that the vehicle is scheduled to pass through depending on whether a card for paying the toll is inserted in the vehicle.

[0004] Patent No. 6692935

[0005] Other vehicles are more likely to cut in around the gate, and the risk of collision with other vehicles may be higher than when the vehicle is traveling on a straight road.

[0006] One of the objectives of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle control technology that can improve safety near gates.

[0007] The vehicle control device disclosed herein is a vehicle control device that has multiple operating modes with different levels of automation of driving operations, and is equipped with a control unit that performs processing related to vehicle driving control, and a communication circuit that allows the control unit to communicate with other devices.The control unit is configured to obtain gate area information, which is information regarding a gate area on a highway through which the vehicle is scheduled to pass, based on a signal received from the other device via the communication circuit, and to determine the operating mode when driving through the gate area based on the gate area information.

[0008] In addition, the vehicle control method disclosed herein is a vehicle control method executed by a processor installed in a vehicle, and includes obtaining gate area information, which is information regarding a gate area on a highway through which the vehicle is scheduled to pass, from another device via a communication circuit, and determining an operating mode for driving through the gate area from among multiple operating modes with different levels of automation of driving operations based on the gate area information.

[0009] According to the above-described device / method, the automation level when traveling through a gate area is automatically changed to an automation level appropriate for the configuration / conditions of the gate area based on the gate area information, thereby improving safety near the gate.

[0010] Note that the symbols in parentheses in the claims indicate a correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments described below as one aspect, and do not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0011] 1 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of a vehicle system; FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a driving system; FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a gate area; FIG. 4 is a flowchart relating to setting an automation level in a gate area; FIG. 5 is a flowchart relating to setting an automation level in a gate area; FIG. 6 is a flowchart relating to setting an automation level in a gate area; FIG. 7 is a flowchart relating to determining a set speed in a gate area; FIG. 8 is a flowchart relating to setting an automation level in a post-gate area; FIG. 9 is a flowchart relating to setting an automation level in a pre-gate area; FIG. 10 is a flowchart relating to speed control when passing through a gate area; FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the driving system around a gate; FIG. 12 is a flowchart relating to a modified example of the timing for releasing the speed lock; FIG. 13 is a flowchart relating to determining whether to continue following control; FIG. 14 is a flowchart relating to a modified example of the timing for starting the speed lock;

[0012] <Preface> One embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment, and may be implemented with various modifications other than those described below without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. The various supplements and modifications described below may be implemented in appropriate combinations as long as no technical contradictions arise. Components having the same function may be given the same reference numerals, and their description may be omitted. Furthermore, components having the same function may be given the same or similar names, and they may be distinguished by reference numerals. When only a part of a configuration is mentioned, the previous description may apply to the other parts.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a vehicle system VS according to the present disclosure. The vehicle system VS is a system installed in a vehicle Hv. Hereinafter, the vehicle Hv equipped with the vehicle system VS may also be referred to as the host vehicle. In the present disclosure, the term "host vehicle lane" refers to the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling among multiple lanes on a road. The host vehicle lane can also be called an ego lane. An adjacent lane is a lane adjacent to the host vehicle lane.

[0014] In this disclosure, a preceding vehicle basically refers to a vehicle that is in front of the host vehicle, traveling in the same lane as the host vehicle, and is closest to the host vehicle. A following vehicle refers to another vehicle traveling behind the host vehicle in the host vehicle's lane. A preceding vehicle also includes another vehicle traveling in front of the host vehicle in an adjacent lane, that is, a vehicle traveling diagonally in front. Similarly, a following vehicle also includes not only a following vehicle, but also a vehicle traveling diagonally behind the host vehicle.

[0015] In this disclosure, a driver refers to a person sitting in the driver's seat, that is, a driver's seat occupant, regardless of whether or not they are actually driving. In one aspect, a driver may be understood as a person who should receive the authority and responsibility for driving operations from the vehicle system VS when autonomous driving ends. The term "driver" may be replaced with a driver's seat occupant or a vehicle user. The vehicle may be a remotely controlled vehicle that is remotely controlled by an operator located outside the vehicle. The person who takes over driving operations from the vehicle system VS may be an operator located outside the vehicle. The operator is a person who has the authority to control the vehicle remotely from outside the vehicle. The operator may also be included in the concept of a driver.

[0016] The host vehicle is a vehicle equipped with a so-called automated driving function. The automated driving function allows the vehicle to autonomously navigate along a predetermined route. As defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International), there can be multiple levels of automation for driving operations (hereinafter referred to as automation levels). The automation levels can be divided into six stages, for example, levels 0 to 5. In explaining the automation levels, the term "system" primarily refers to the driving system 30.

[0017] Level 0 is a level equivalent to manual driving, in which the driver performs all driving tasks without system intervention. Driving tasks include steering, acceleration / deceleration, and surrounding monitoring. Driving tasks may be rephrased as dynamic driving tasks. Level 1 is a level in which the system supports either steering or acceleration / deceleration. Level 1 includes cases in which only adaptive cruise control (ACC) is performed.

[0018] Level 2 is a level at which both longitudinal and lateral vehicle motion control subtasks are performed in a limited area. Level 2 refers to a level at which the system performs both speed adjustment and steering control. Level 2 may be a level at which the system essentially controls the vehicle behavior, although the driver is required to monitor the surroundings (so-called eyes-on). Steering control at level 2 may be control equivalent to lane centering (LC). LC is a function that automatically controls steering so that the host vehicle stays in the center of the lane. LC may also be lane tracing assist (LTA). Steering assistance at level 2 may be limited steering assistance that is performed only when the host vehicle is about to deviate from its lane. Steering control at level 2 may also be lane keeping assist (LKA).

[0019] Level 2 may be divided into Level 2.0 and Level 2.5. Level 2.0 may be a level at which ACC and LKA operate. Level 2.0 is a level at which the system provides partial steering assistance and the driver essentially performs steering. Level 2.5 is a level at which the driving system 30 essentially performs steering, although the driver still needs to monitor the surroundings. Level 2.5 may be a state in which ACC and LC operate. Level 2.5 may also be referred to as Level 2+, Advanced Level 2, Hands-Off Level 2, etc. In the present disclosure, vehicle control corresponding to Level 2.5 is also referred to as automated driving with a periphery monitoring obligation or semi-automated driving.

[0020] Level 3 is a level where the system performs all driving tasks within the Operational Design Domain (ODD), while transferring operational authority to the driver in an emergency. ODD specifies the conditions under which automated driving can be performed. Level 4 is a level where the system performs all driving tasks except under specific circumstances such as on designated roads where it cannot be handled or in extreme environments. Level 5 is a level where the system performs all driving tasks in all environments.

[0021] Automation levels 3 to 5 are automation levels where the driver does not need to monitor the surroundings, in other words, levels that correspond to automated driving. In this disclosure, vehicle control corresponding to level 3 or higher is also referred to as automated driving without the obligation to monitor the surroundings, or autonomous driving control.

[0022] The host vehicle is equipped with an autonomous driving function equivalent to, for example, level 4. Of course, the host vehicle may also be equipped with an autonomous driving function up to level 3 or 2.5. The host vehicle may also be equipped with an autonomous driving function equivalent to level 5. The configuration of the vehicle system VS disclosed below may be modified as appropriate to conform to the laws and customs of the region in which the vehicle system VS is used, the characteristics / equipment of the vehicle, etc.

[0023] <Overall Configuration of Vehicle System VS> The vehicle system VS includes, as an example, multiple devices shown in FIG. 1 . Specifically, the vehicle system VS includes an environmental sensor 11, a vehicle state sensor 12, a locator 13, a map storage unit 14, a wireless communication device 15, an occupant state sensor 16, a body ECU 17, an exterior display device 18, and a motion actuator 19. The vehicle system VS also includes an HMI system 20 and a driving system 30. Note that ECU stands for Electronic Control Unit, which means an electronic control device. HMI stands for Human Machine Interface. The term "device" may include sensors and circuits. Some devices may be configured as subsystems. That is, a device may be a subsystem.

[0024] The driving system 30 is connected to other devices such as the environmental sensor 11 so as to be able to communicate with each other via an in-vehicle network IvN. The in-vehicle network IvN is a communication network established within the vehicle. The standard of the in-vehicle network IvN may be any standard such as Controller Area Network (hereinafter referred to as CAN: registered trademark) or Ethernet (registered trademark). Some devices may be directly connected to the driving system 30 by dedicated signal lines. The connection form between devices may be changed as appropriate.

[0025] The environmental sensor 11 is a device that senses the surrounding environment of the vehicle. The environmental sensor 11 may be a sensor (a so-called autonomous sensor) that detects objects present within a detection range. The environmental sensor 11 may also be referred to as an object detection sensor. The environmental sensor 11 may include multiple sensors. The vehicle system VS may include, for example, a camera 111, a millimeter-wave radar 112, and a LiDAR 113 as the environmental sensors 11.

[0026] The camera 111 may be an optical camera positioned to capture images of the outside of the vehicle (e.g., the front) at a predetermined angle of view. The camera 111 may be positioned on the upper edge of the windshield, the front grille, the rooftop, etc. The camera 111 may include a camera ECU in addition to a camera main body that generates image frames. The camera main body includes at least an image sensor and a lens. The camera ECU includes a processor and a memory. The processor may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The camera ECU detects a predetermined detection target by performing recognition processing on the image frames. The camera ECU detects and identifies objects registered as detection targets using, for example, a classifier that applies deep learning. The camera ECU may also calculate the relative position coordinates of the detected object relative to the vehicle from position information (e.g., pixel coordinates) of the detected object in the image frame.

[0027] The camera 111 is configured to detect other moving objects, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and automobiles. A moving object may be referred to as a road user or a traffic participant. The camera 111 may also be configured to detect features such as road edges, road markings, and structures installed along the road. The road markings may include at least one of lane marks indicating lane boundaries, crosswalks, stop lines, guidance strips, and traffic control arrows. The structures installed along the road may include at least one of road signs, guardrails, traffic lights, utility poles, curbs, and commercial signs. The camera 111 may also be configured to detect the lighting status of lighting devices of other vehicles, such as hazard lights and turn signals (so-called blinkers), and the lighting status of traffic lights.

[0028] The camera 111 may include multiple cameras. The vehicle system VS may include, as the cameras 111, a camera that captures images in front of the vehicle Hv, a rear camera that captures images behind the vehicle Hv, a right camera that captures images on the right side, and a left camera that captures images on the left side. The function of analyzing the camera images and detecting the detection target may be provided by another device, such as the driving system 30. The camera 111 transmits data indicating the detection results to the driving system 30 via the in-vehicle network IvN.

[0029] The millimeter-wave radar 112 is a device that detects the relative position and relative speed of an object by transmitting and receiving search waves such as millimeter waves or quasi-millimeter waves in a predetermined direction. The vehicle system VS may be equipped with multiple millimeter-wave radars 112. The multiple millimeter-wave radars 112 may include a forward radar and a rearward radar. The forward radar is a millimeter-wave radar 112 that transmits search waves toward the front of the vehicle. The rearward radar is a millimeter-wave radar 112 that transmits search waves toward the rear of the vehicle. The millimeter-wave radar 112 generates data indicating the relative position and relative speed of the detected object and outputs data indicating the detection result to the driving system 30. Objects detected by the millimeter-wave radar 112 may include other moving objects, manholes (iron plates), three-dimensional structures serving as landmarks, etc.

[0030] The LiDAR 113 is a device that generates three-dimensional point cloud data indicating the positions of reflection points for each detection direction by irradiating laser light. LiDAR is an abbreviation for Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging. The LiDAR 113 may be a Time of Flight (ToF) camera that generates an image indicating the distance to an object (a so-called distance image). The LiDAR 113 also outputs data indicating the detection result to the driving system 30. In the present disclosure, data indicating the environment outside or inside the vehicle, such as data from the camera 111, the millimeter-wave radar 112, and the LiDAR 113, is also referred to as sensor data.

[0031] The environmental sensor 11 may include a sonar or the like. The environmental sensor 11 may include a rain sensor, an illuminance sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like. The rain sensor is a sensor that detects rain. The illuminance sensor is a sensor that detects the brightness outside the vehicle. The temperature sensor is a sensor that detects the temperature outside the vehicle. The combination of sensors included in the environmental sensor 11 may be changed as appropriate.

[0032] The vehicle state sensor 12 is a sensor that outputs information regarding the state of the host vehicle. The vehicle state sensor 12 includes at least one of a vehicle speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor, and an accelerator pedal sensor. The vehicle speed sensor is a sensor that detects the traveling speed of the host vehicle. 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 host vehicle, lateral acceleration acting in the lateral direction, etc. The yaw rate sensor is a sensor that detects the angular velocity of the host vehicle. The accelerator pedal sensor is a sensor that detects the depression amount / depression force of the accelerator pedal. The brake pedal sensor is a sensor that detects the depression amount / depression force of the brake pedal. The vehicle state sensor 12 outputs data indicative of the detection results to the in-vehicle network IvN. The output data of the vehicle state sensor 12 may also be included in the sensor data.

[0033] The locator 13 is a device that generates and outputs position information of the vehicle (more precisely, the locator 13) using navigation signals transmitted from positioning satellites that constitute the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The locator 13 includes a GNSS receiver, an inertial sensor, and the like. The locator 13 may determine the position and traveling direction of the vehicle by combining the navigation signals received by the GNSS receiver, the measurement results of the inertial sensor, and vehicle speed information transmitted through the in-vehicle network IvN. In the present disclosure, data indicating the position of the vehicle generated and output by the locator 13 is also referred to as vehicle position data. The vehicle position may be expressed using latitude and longitude, for example. The vehicle position data may also be considered an example of sensor data. The locator 13 outputs the vehicle position data to the driving system 30. The locator 13 may have a function of reading map data around the vehicle position from the map storage unit 14 and providing the map data to the driving system 30.

[0034] The map storage unit 14 is a storage device that stores map data. The map data stored in 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 data such as the three-dimensional shape of roads, the positions of road markings (e.g., lane marks), and the positions of traffic signs, with the accuracy required for autonomous driving. The map storage unit 14 may also store a navigation map that shows the connection relationships between roads. The navigation map may be used to search for a route from the current location to a destination.

[0035] The map data stored in the map memory unit 14 includes gate point data for each gate point. A gate point is a point on a toll road where a gate for collecting tolls is installed. A gate may be a facility for recording entry and exit. A gate may not have a bar. A gate may be a structure in which a camera or wireless communication device for recording entry and exit is installed. The expression "gate point" / "gate" in this disclosure can be read as "toll booth." Gate point data is data that indicates the structure of a gate point. At one gate point, multiple gates may be installed side by side in the width direction of the road.

[0036] The gate location data includes data related to the representative location coordinates, the number of gates installed, the detailed location of each gate, and the settlement method for each gate. The representative location coordinates are location coordinates that roughly indicate the location of the gate location. The representative location coordinates may be, for example, the location coordinates of the gate located in the middle, on the right end, or on the left end of multiple gates lined up horizontally (hereinafter referred to as the representative gate). The number of gates installed can be rephrased as the number of lanes. Each gate provides one lane (passageway). The detailed location data of the gates may be coordinate data such as latitude and longitude. The detailed location of the gates may be expressed as a number, with the right-most or left-most gate being number 1.

[0037] The settlement method data indicates the toll settlement (payment) method. The settlement method can be categorized into manual settlement and automatic settlement. In the manual settlement method, the driver pays the toll by handing cash or a credit card to the gate staff or by inserting it into a settlement machine installed at the gate. In the automatic settlement method, a payment is made according to the vehicle type and the travel section through wireless communication between a wireless communication device installed in the vehicle (known as an on-board device) and wireless communication equipment installed at the gate (known as a roadside device). In Japan, the manual settlement method is sometimes called "general" and the automatic settlement method is sometimes called "ETC (registered trademark)." ETC stands for Electronic Toll Collection.

[0038] 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 be a storage device that temporarily stores the map data received by the wireless communication device 15 from the map server until the validity period of the data expires. The map data stored in the map storage unit 14 may be navigation map data, which is map data for navigation, as long as it includes gate point data. In other words, the map storage unit 14 does not necessarily have to store a high-precision map.

[0039] The wireless communication device 15 is a device that enables the vehicle to perform wireless communication with an external device. The external device may include at least one of another vehicle, a server, a traffic information center, a roadside device, and a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone). The wireless communication device 15 is configured to be capable of performing cellular communication. Cellular communication refers to wireless communication compliant with LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, 5G, or the like. The wireless communication device 15 may be configured to be capable of performing cellular V2X (PC5 / SideLink / Uu).

[0040] The wireless communication device 15 is also configured to be capable of short-range communication. In this disclosure, short-range communication refers to wireless communication in which the communication distance is limited to within several hundred meters. The short-range communication method used may be DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) compatible with IEEE 802.11p, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy. The short-range communication method may be the aforementioned cellular V2X, for example, communication using a PC5 interface. The wireless communication device 15 may be configured to be capable of performing data communication related to toll payment with a roadside device installed at a gate when passing through the gate. For example, the wireless communication device 15 may be an on-board device compatible with ETC 2.0.

[0041] The wireless communication device 15 may receive information about gate locations from an external device. For example, the wireless communication device 15 may receive location information about gate locations, information about passable gates, and information about closed gates from a predetermined server. The wireless communication device 15 may receive vehicle data from surrounding vehicles via vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The vehicle data may include speed, current location, turn signal status, acceleration, and movement trajectory. In the description of wireless communication, surrounding vehicles refer to vehicles within a range where vehicle-to-vehicle communication is possible. Vehicle data transmitted and received via vehicle-to-vehicle communication may be referred to as a vehicle status message. The vehicle status message may be a Cooperative Awareness Message (CAM) defined in ETSI TS 102 637-2 or a Basic Safety Message (BSM) defined in SAE J 2735. Data received by the wireless communication device 15 may also be included in the sensor data.

[0042] 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 facial orientation, gaze direction, eyelid openness, etc. based on a facial image of the driver. The occupant status sensor 16 transmits driver status data indicating the driver's facial orientation, gaze direction, eyelid openness, etc. to the driving system 30. The driver status data may also be considered a type of sensor data. The occupant status sensor 16 may be a pulse sensor, a thermal camera, etc. The occupant status sensor 16 may include a steering wheel sensor. The steering wheel sensor is a sensor that detects whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel (also referred to as a steering wheel). The steering wheel sensor may be a touch sensor provided on the steering wheel.

[0043] The body ECU 17 is an ECU that comprehensively controls the body-related devices mounted on the vehicle. The body-related devices include lighting devices, a horn, door lock motors, etc. The lighting devices include headlights, hazard lights, turn signals, backlights, welcome lights, etc. The body ECU 17 turns on the hazard lights and turn signals in accordance with instructions from the driving system 30.

[0044] The exterior display device 18 is a device that displays an image toward the outside of the vehicle. The exterior display device 18 may be a liquid crystal display or the like. The exterior display device 18 may display an image for communicating with drivers of other vehicles based on an input signal from the driving system 30 or the HMI system 20. For example, the exterior display device 18 displays an image indicating the direction of travel of the vehicle or an image requesting a vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane to yield the right of way (in other words, permission to cut in). The exterior display device 18 may project an image onto the rear window, side window, or road surface around the vehicle. Headlights or taillights may be configured to function as the exterior display device 18. The exterior display device 18 may be considered one of the body-related devices.

[0045] The motion actuator 19 is an actuator for the motion (driving) of the vehicle Hv. The motion actuator 19 controls the motion of the vehicle Hv based on an input control signal. The motion actuator 19 includes a power train including at least one of an engine and a drive motor. The motion actuator 19 also includes a brake actuator and a steering actuator. The steering actuator may be an EPS (Electric Power Steering) motor. Other ECUs, such as a steering ECU that performs steering control, a power unit control ECU that performs acceleration / deceleration control, and a brake ECU, may be interposed between the driving system 30 and the motion actuator 19.

[0046] The HMI system 20 is a subsystem for exchanging information between the occupant and the vehicle system VS. The HMI system 20 includes a display 21 and a speaker 22 as notification devices for notifying the driver of information. The HMI system 20 also includes an input device 23 as an input interface for receiving operations from the occupant on the vehicle system VS (in other words, the vehicle Hv).

[0047] The display 21 may include one or more of a meter display, a center display, and a head-up display (HUD). The meter display is a display arranged in an area of ​​the instrument panel located in front of the driver's seat. The center display is a display provided in the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction. The HUD is a device that projects image light onto a predetermined area of ​​the windshield. The meter display and the center display may be liquid crystal displays or organic EL displays. The display 21 displays an image corresponding to a signal input from the driving system 30. The speaker 22 is a device that outputs sound corresponding to a signal input from the driving system 30. In this disclosure, the term "sound" includes notification sounds, voices, music, etc.

[0048] The vehicle system VS may include a vibrator, an ambient light, or the like as a notification device. The ambient light is a lighting device that uses multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) and is capable of adjusting the light emission color and light emission intensity. The ambient light may be provided on the instrument panel, the steering wheel, the A-pillar, or the like. The ambient light may be a device that notifies the driver of the operating status of the driving system 30 and the risk of an external situation, etc., by changing the light emission color.

[0049] The input device 23 may include at least one of a mechanical switch, a touch panel, an operating lever, and a pedal. The mechanical switch may be a steering wheel switch, a switch arranged on the instrument panel, or a switch provided on the center console. The steering wheel switch is a switch provided on the spoke portion of the steering wheel. The steering wheel switch may include a switch for switching the automation level, such as a switch for inputting the start / end of autonomous driving. The operating lever may include an operating lever (e.g., a turn signal lever) provided on the steering column. The operating lever may include a shift lever. The touch panel may be a touch panel stacked on the center display. The pedals may include an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal. The steering wheel also corresponds to one type of input device 23.

[0050] The input device 23 outputs an operation signal, which is an electrical signal corresponding to a driver's operation, to the driving system 30. The operation signal includes information indicating the driver's operation. The vehicle system VS accepts braking, accelerator, and steering operations via the input device 23. The vehicle system VS also accepts instructions related to changing the operation mode via the input device 23. The instructions related to changing the operation mode include instructions related to starting and ending autonomous driving. The vehicle system VS may be configured to acquire various instructions from the driver through voice recognition. A device related to voice input, such as a microphone, may also be included in the input device 23. Note that, for example, an HCU (HMI Control Unit) may be interposed between the HMI system 20 and the driving system 30. The HCU is a device that comprehensively controls information output (in other words, notifications) to the driver.

[0051] The driving system 30 is a subsystem that controls the motion actuators 19 based on the detection results of the environmental sensors 11 to perform some or all of the driving operations on behalf of the driver. The driving system 30 may be an automated driving system (ADS). The driving system 30 may also be realized in the form of a device (i.e., an automatic driving device). The term "system" may be replaced with "device" as appropriate.

[0052] The driving system 30 may be realized using one or more computers. The one or more computers constituting the driving system 30 correspond to a vehicle control device. The driving system 30 includes a processor 31, a memory 32, a storage 33, a communication unit 34, and a bus connecting these. The processor 31 may be a CPU or the like. The processor 31 corresponds to a control unit. The memory 32 is a rewritable volatile storage medium. The memory 32 is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage 33 is, for example, a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory. The storage 33 stores a vehicle control program, which is a program executed by the processor 31. The execution of the vehicle control program by the processor 31 corresponds to the execution of a vehicle control method.

[0053] The communication unit 34 is an interface through which the processor 31 communicates with other devices constituting the vehicle system VS, such as the environmental sensor 11. The communication unit 34 may include a circuit compatible with a communication method with other devices. The communication unit 34 may be an input / output circuit or an input / output port. The communication unit 34 corresponds to a communication circuit. The communication unit 34 may be compatible with any method of wired communication or wireless communication. Part or all of the wireless communication device 15 may be included in the communication unit 34. Digital data corresponding to a signal received by the communication unit 34 may be temporarily stored in the memory 32.

[0054] The communication unit 34 receives information required for performing vehicle control such as autonomous driving and driving assistance. Reception may be rephrased as acquisition. The communication unit 34 acquires sensor data (i.e., detection results) from the environmental sensors 11. The sensor data includes data on objects present around the vehicle, such as moving bodies, features, and obstacles. Data on detected objects may include the position, moving speed, and type or size of the detected object.

[0055] The sensor data related to features may include data on lane marks and road edges. The lane mark data may include not only position data but also line type data. The line type may be expressed as a continuous line (solid line) or a dashed line. The line type data may include information on the color of the line (yellow or white, etc.). The sensor data may include data indicating the lane mark recognition status, such as whether the lane marks are recognized, and the road edge recognition status, such as whether the road edge is recognized.

[0056] The communication unit 34 also acquires sensor data related to the state of the vehicle, such as the vehicle's traveling speed, acceleration, yaw rate, and external illuminance, from the vehicle state sensor 12. Furthermore, the communication unit 34 acquires vehicle position data from the locator 13. The communication unit 34 may acquire map data of the area around the vehicle by referring to the map storage unit 14.

[0057] The communication unit 34 may acquire data transmitted from an external device in cooperation with the wireless communication device 15. For example, the communication unit 34 may acquire vehicle data transmitted from a preceding vehicle via vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The communication unit 34 also acquires dynamic map data for a road section that the vehicle is scheduled to pass through within a predetermined time in cooperation with the wireless communication device 15. The dynamic map data here includes congestion information, merging vehicle information, and the like.

[0058] The communication unit 34 also acquires information indicating the driver's operation of the vehicle system VS based on a signal from the input device 23. For example, the communication unit 34 acquires instructions related to the start and end of autonomous driving from the input device 23. The communication unit 34 may acquire information indicating the operating status of devices connected to the driving system 30, such as whether the environmental sensor 11 is operating normally. The communication unit 34 may acquire driver status data indicating the eye opening degree and line of sight from the occupant status sensor 16.

[0059] Various data sequentially acquired by the communication unit 34 is stored in a temporary storage medium such as the memory 32 and is used by the environment recognition unit F1, the mode management unit F2, etc. Data may be discarded after a certain time has passed since acquisition. Various data (information) may be acquired by generation, conversion, determination, or calculation based on signals received from other devices. The communication unit 34 or the processor 31 may have a function to generate other data (also referred to as secondary data) based on raw data (also referred to as secondary data) received from other devices.

[0060] The driving system 30 has multiple operating modes with different automation levels. Each operating mode has a different range of driving tasks for which the driver is responsible, in other words, a different range of driving tasks in which the driving system 30 intervenes. The operating mode can be referred to as the driving mode. Here, as an example, the driving system 30 is configured to be switchable among multiple operating modes, including a manual driving mode, a hands-on level 2 mode, a hands-off level 2 mode, a level 3 mode, and a level 4 mode.

[0061] The manual driving mode is an operating mode in which the driver performs all driving tasks. The manual driving mode may be referred to as a fully manual mode. Even in the manual driving mode, the driving system 30 may perform processes to mitigate collision damage or avoid a collision, such as advanced emergency braking (AEB) or advanced emergency steering (AES). Even in the manual driving mode, the driving system 30 may continue to perform driving environment recognition processing in the background (in other words, potentially) so that it can quickly start automatic driving or driving assistance in response to a driver request. The manual driving mode may also be a mode in which the driving system 30 completely stops operating.

[0062] The hands-on Level 2 mode is a mode in which the driver must hold the steering wheel. The hands-on Level 2 mode is an operating mode corresponding to automation Level 2.0. The 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 is permitted. The hands-off Level 2 mode is an operating mode corresponding to automation Level 2.5. In other embodiments, the driving system 30 may be implemented with only one of the hands-off Level 2 mode and the hands-on Level 2 mode as the Level 2 mode.

[0063] In this disclosure, hands-on means holding the steering wheel. Hands-off means taking your hands off the steering wheel. Eyes-on means monitoring the area outside the vehicle (mainly ahead) related to the direction of movement of the host vehicle. Eyes-off means taking your eyes off the area outside the vehicle related to the direction of movement of the host vehicle. Hands-off Level 2 mode is an operating mode that performs automated driving control with the obligation to monitor the surroundings. Hands-off Level 2 mode can be called semi-automated driving mode or eyes-on AD mode. In this disclosure, AD means automated / autonomous driving.

[0064] Level 3 mode is an operating mode that executes autonomous driving control without the obligation to monitor surroundings, i.e., vehicle control equivalent to automation level 3. Level 4 mode is an operating mode that executes autonomous driving control equivalent to automation level 4. Level 4 mode is an operating mode in which the driver is allowed to sleep. In this disclosure, the term "autonomous driving" refers to autonomous driving control at level 3 or higher, unless otherwise noted (basically). In this disclosure, an operating mode at level 3 or higher may also be referred to as an autonomous driving mode, i.e., an AD mode.

[0065] The driving system 30 may include multiple processors 31. The processor that executes autonomous driving control at level 3 or higher may be provided separately from the processor that executes vehicle control at level 2 or lower. The driving system 30 may include an autonomous driving ECU, which is an ECU for autonomous driving. The driving system 30 may also include an ADAS (advanced driver-assistance system)-ECU, which is an ECU for driving assistance, separate from the autonomous driving ECU.

[0066] While in AD mode, the driving system 30 automatically steers, accelerates, decelerates (i.e., brakes), and the like of the vehicle so that the vehicle travels along a planned route toward a destination set by the driver. Even if a destination is not set, the driving system 30 may select a route to continue traveling / traveling within an area that satisfies the ODD and continue autonomous driving. The conditions for determining whether autonomous driving is possible / impossible, in other words, the detailed conditions that define the ODD, can be changed as appropriate.

[0067] The driving system 30 may perform control to drive the vehicle substantially autonomously even in hands-off level 2 mode. That is, the driving system 30 performs driving environment recognition, driving trajectory planning, and motion control even in hands-off level 2 mode. Motion control includes speed adjustment through acceleration and deceleration, steering control, and the like. The term "autonomous driving" below may be replaced with "quasi-autonomous driving equivalent to level 2.5" unless technical contradictions arise. The AD mode is terminated due to steering / pedal operation by the driver (so-called override), system limitations, exiting the ODD, and the like. The driving system 30 may have a function to determine whether the vehicle Hv is present in the ODD.

[0068] <Functions of the Driving System> The driving system 30 includes the functional units shown in Fig. 2 as functional units realized by executing an automatic driving program. That is, the driving system 30 includes an environment recognition unit F1, a mode management unit F2, a planning unit F3, a motion control unit F4, and an HMI control unit F5.

[0069] The environment recognition unit F1 recognizes the driving environment of the vehicle based on the sensor data acquired by the communication unit 34. The sensor data may include at least one of map data, detection results of the environmental sensors 11, and data received by the wireless communication device 15. The environment recognition unit F1 may recognize the driving environment of the vehicle by a sensor fusion process that integrates detection results of the multiple environmental sensors 11.

[0070] The environment recognition unit F1 acquires information about the structure (i.e., configuration) of roads located within a predetermined distance ahead of the vehicle based on sensor data. The road structure may include the locations of gates, branch roads, the number of lanes, the locations of road edges, road width, and road curvature. The road structure may also include the locations of lane marks, guardrails, traffic signs, and road markings.

[0071] The environment recognition unit F1 also acquires information about the gate point through which the vehicle is scheduled to pass next. The information about the gate point may be acquired based on map data, or may be identified based on sensor data from the environment sensor 11. The information about the gate point may include at least one of information about the entrance point of the gate area, the exit point, the start point of the preparation section, and the road after the gate. The information about the gate point corresponds to gate area information. The information about the gate point may include the remaining distance to the gate point. The remaining distance to the gate point may be acquired based on map data, or may be identified based on data of guide signs detected by the camera 111. The environment recognition unit F1 may identify the remaining distance to the gate point based on vehicle data or sensor data received from a vehicle ahead.

[0072] The environment recognition unit F1 may acquire the number of gates and the payment method for each gate based on the sensor data. The environment recognition unit F1 may regard a gate that requires stopping to pass as a gate requiring manual payment, and may regard a gate through which a preceding vehicle passes without stopping as a gate requiring automatic payment. The number of gates and the payment method for each gate may also be included in the gate area information.

[0073] The environment recognition unit F1 may acquire information indicating the number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes of a gate area through which the vehicle is to pass, based on sensor data (including map data). The number of entry lanes is the total number of lanes existing on the entrance side of the gate area through which the vehicle is to pass. The number of entry lanes may be the number of lanes in the preparation section. However, the number of entry lanes may include the number of lanes of a merging road. When the preparation section and another road merge at the entrance of the gate area, the number of entry lanes may be calculated as the sum of the number of lanes in the preparation section and the number of lanes of the merging road. The number of exit lanes is the total number of lanes existing on the exit side. The number of exit lanes may include the number of lanes of a branching road. In the example shown in FIG. 3 , the number of entry lanes is 2 and the number of exit lanes is 4. The number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes may be determined based on data received from a roadside device, or may be determined by recognizing guide signs indicating the layout of the gate area using the camera 111. The number of entrance lanes and the number of exit lanes may be determined from position / trajectory data of other vehicles received through vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The number of entrance lanes and the number of exit lanes may also be included in the gate area information.

[0074] The environment recognition unit F1 may acquire information indicating the presence or absence of lane marks in the area in front of the gate and the area after the gate, which will be described later, based on sensor data. That is, the environment recognition unit F1 acquires information indicating whether the area in front of the gate is a lane-free area and information indicating whether the area after the gate is a lane-free area. The environment recognition unit F1 may basically determine the presence or absence of lane marks before and after the gate based on map data or data received by the wireless communication device 15. The environment recognition unit F1 may also determine the presence or absence of lane marks before and after the gate based on the recognition results of guide signs by the camera 111. The environment recognition unit F1 may determine the presence or absence of lane marks in the area in front of the gate based on the detection state of lane marks by the camera 111 while traveling through the area in front of the gate. The presence or absence of lane marks in the area after the gate may also be determined based on the actual detection results of the camera 111. Information regarding the presence or absence of lane marks before and after the gate may also be included in the gate area information.

[0075] The driving environment may include at least one of the vehicle lane number, weather, and road surface conditions. The vehicle lane number indicates the position of the vehicle lane on the road and is determined based on the left road edge. The vehicle lane number directly or indirectly indicates the number of lanes existing to the left of the vehicle lane. The vehicle lane number may also be assigned based on the right road edge. The environment recognition unit F1 may identify the vehicle lane number using at least one of the distance from the road edge to the vehicle, the number of lane marks detected on the left and right, and map data. The vehicle lane number may also be identified using map data and vehicle position data. The weather and road surface conditions may be identified by combining the recognition results of the camera 111 and weather information acquired by the communication unit 34.

[0076] The driving environment includes the positions and types of objects present around the vehicle. The environment recognition unit F1 may acquire the moving speed and moving direction of the detected moving object. The environment recognition unit F1 recognizes the positions and behaviors of other vehicles based on various data acquired by the communication unit 34. The environment recognition unit F1 may calculate a collision risk for each detected other vehicle. The collision risk may be, for example, TTC (Time-To-Collision) or MTC (Margin-To-Collision). For example, the environment recognition unit F1 calculates the TTC for each other vehicle. TTC and MTC are parameters that indicate a higher collision risk as the values ​​become smaller.

[0077] In addition to the above-described information, the environment recognition unit F1 may acquire data indicating the external environment related to the ODD. Furthermore, the environment recognition unit F1 acquires traffic rules around the vehicle based on sensor data. Traffic rules may include speed limits and lane change prohibitions. The environment recognition unit F1 may generate an environmental model, which is a three-dimensional model that reproduces (represents) the driving environment of the vehicle Hv, as data indicating the external environment. The environmental model may also be called a world model. The environmental model may be a model in which objects detected by the environmental sensor 11, such as moving objects such as other vehicles, lane markers, road edges, traffic lights, etc., are arranged in a three-dimensional space based on the vehicle. The environment recognition unit F1 may be understood as a configuration that manages data related to the driving environment. Here, data management may include data acquisition (generation) and updating. In addition, the environment recognition unit F1 may acquire information indicating the internal environment of the vehicle, such as the internal temperature and driver status data.

[0078] The mode management unit F2 manages the operation mode of the driving system 30 based on information acquired by the communication unit 34. The management of the operation mode may include management of switching between manual driving and automated driving, i.e., management of the transfer of authority between the user and the driving system 30, in other words, management of the takeover of driving. The management of the operation mode corresponds to management of the automation level. The mode management unit F2 estimates the operation mode (i.e., the automation level) intended by the driver based on the operation signal input from the input device 23. The mode management unit F2 switches the operation mode based on the estimation result. For convenience in this disclosure, the currently applied operation mode is also referred to as the current mode.

[0079] When the driving environment satisfies ODD, the mode management unit F2 switches the operation mode to AD mode upon receiving an instruction signal to start automatic driving from the input device 23. Furthermore, when the mode management unit F2 predicts that the driving environment recognized by the environment recognition unit F1 will no longer satisfy ODD during the AD mode, it may decide to transition to manual driving mode and notify the planning unit F3 of this.

[0080] The mode management unit F2 may switch to manual driving mode when an override operation by the driver is detected in the AD mode or hands-off level 2 mode. An override operation refers to an occupant's operation of driving operation members such as the steering wheel, brake pedal, and accelerator pedal. An override operation may also be referred to as a takeover operation. When the driving system 30 detects that an override operation by the driver has been performed, it promptly transfers driving authority to the driver and notifies the driver by audio output or the like that driving has been switched to manual driving. The mode management unit F2 may acquire data such as the operating status (on / off) of the ACC function and whether or not a preceding vehicle is recognized, and store the data in the memory 32.

[0081] The planning unit F3 is configured to create a driving plan based on data of the driving environment (e.g., an environmental model) managed by the environment recognition unit F1. While in the AD mode or the hands-off level 2 mode, the planning unit F3 generates driving plan data for autonomous driving based on the recognition result of the driving environment by the environment recognition unit F1. The driving plan may be called a control plan or a driving plan.

[0082] The driving plan data may include route data, trajectory data, and motion plan data. The route data is data indicating a comprehensive (long-term) driving plan, such as a route to a destination. The planning unit F3 may generate the route data based on map data indicating road connections, such as map data for navigation.

[0083] Trajectory data is data indicating a relatively local (short-term) driving trajectory. The trajectory plan may include data such as the lane in which the vehicle Hv is traveling, the driving position within the lane, and lane change points. Generating trajectory data may also be called trajectory planning or path planning.

[0084] The planning unit F3 may generate trajectory data based on route data and driving environment data. The motion plan data is data indicating target speed, steering angle, acceleration, etc. for each time. The motion plan data may be generated based on the trajectory data. In this way, the driving plan data may include schedule information for acceleration / deceleration for speed adjustment on the set route / trajectory and schedule information for steering amount. The driving plan created by the planning unit F3 is input to the motion control unit F4.

[0085] The planning unit F3 also performs gate passage planning processing as processing related to passing through a gate point. The gate passage planning processing includes setting a target gate, generating a travel trajectory to the target gate, and generating a trajectory after passing through the gate. The target gate is a gate through which the host vehicle will pass among multiple gates set up at the gate point.

[0086] In addition to control plans directly related to vehicle driving, the planning unit F3 also generates plans for notifying the driver using notification devices such as the display 21. For example, the planning unit F3 plans the timing of issuing notifications / requests to the driver, such as behavior notification, mode change notification, eyes-on request, hands-on request, TOR (takeover request), and TOR notification. Behavior notification is a process of notifying the driver of planned vehicle behavior, such as lane change, overtaking, deceleration, etc. Mode change notification is a process of notifying the driver that the operation mode will be changed or that the operation mode is scheduled to be changed.

[0087] The eyes-on request is a process that requests the driver to monitor the surroundings just in case during the AD mode. The hands-on request is a process that requests the driver to lightly grip the steering wheel during the AD mode or the hands-off level 2 mode. TOR is a process that the driving system 30 determines and requests the driver to take over driving operations. TOR may also be referred to as a takeover request, intervention request, or handover request. TOR includes displaying an image on the display 21 requesting a takeover of driving operations. TOR may also include outputting an audio message or warning sound from the speaker 22 requesting a takeover. TOR warning is a process that notifies the driver that the possibility of TOR is increasing.

[0088] Various notifications, including advance notices, suggestions, and requests, include displaying an icon image corresponding to the content on the display 21. A notification is outputting information to the driver, and may be referred to as an alert. Various notifications may involve outputting a notification sound, outputting a voice message, flashing ambient lights, and / or vibrating a vibrator, depending on the importance and urgency of the notification. The process of alerting the driver to the information may involve generating a signal for driving an alert device and outputting it to the alert device. The planning unit F3 creates notification plan data indicating the content and timing of the notification, and transmits it to the HMI control unit F5.

[0089] The motion control unit F4 generates control commands for the motion actuator 19 based on the control plan formulated by the planning unit F3. Then, the motion control unit F4 outputs the generated control commands to the motion actuator 19. The motion control unit F4 also controls the lighting state of the turn signals, headlights, hazard lights, etc. according to the driving plan and the driving environment based on the plan of the planning unit F3 and the external environment.

[0090] The planning unit F3 and the motion control unit F4 form an ACC system, which is a subsystem that executes ACC. When the ACC system recognizes a preceding vehicle, it controls the vehicle speed to maintain a constant inter-vehicle distance / inter-vehicle time within a set vehicle speed range. When the ACC system does not recognize a preceding vehicle or when the speed of the preceding vehicle exceeds the set vehicle speed, it adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain the set vehicle speed. The ACC system may provide the HMI control unit F5 with data indicating the recognition status of the preceding vehicle and the implementation status of ACC.

[0091] The planning unit F3 and the motion control unit F4 form an LC system, which is a subsystem that performs lane centering (LC). The LC system recognizes the trajectory of a preceding vehicle and performs steering control to follow the trajectory of the preceding vehicle. When the LC and ACC are active and a preceding vehicle exists, the driving system 30 drives the host vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle.

[0092] In the present disclosure, control for causing a host vehicle to travel so as to follow a target vehicle is also referred to as follow-up control. The target vehicle is often a preceding vehicle. In a laneless section, the target vehicle may be set from among the preceding vehicles. Follow-up control may be understood as a control that combines ACC and LC. Furthermore, a state in which a target vehicle is set is referred to as a follow-up state.

[0093] The HMI control unit F5 notifies the driver using notification devices such as the display 21 and the speaker 22. Various notifications are implemented by displaying an image on the display 21 and / or outputting a voice message or notification sound from the speaker 22. The notification sound may be a warning sound. Notification to the driver may be accompanied by turning on an ambient light or activating a vibrator. The HMI control unit F5 executes various notifications based on the plan of the planning unit F3. In other words, the HMI control unit F5 executes notifications to the driver based on a request from the planning unit F3.

[0094] <Gate Area and Preparation Area> In the present disclosure, a road section where a gate is provided is referred to as a gate area. The entrance of a gate area may be a point in the entrance direction, a predetermined distance (e.g., 100 m or 200 m) from the gate point. The entrance direction in the description of a gate area means forward from the gate. The entrance direction corresponds to the opposite direction to the travel direction set on the road. The exit of a post-gate area may be a point behind the gate point, a predetermined distance (e.g., 100 m or 200 m). Here, "rear" means behind from the gate and corresponds to the travel direction set on the road. "Rear" may also be referred to as the exit direction. Thus, in one embodiment, a gate area may be a road section within a predetermined distance before or after. 40 in FIG. 3 represents a gate area.

[0095] The entrance and exit points of the gate area may be registered in the map data, i.e., the road section (also called the road area) regarded as the gate area may be defined in the map data.

[0096] The start point (i.e., entrance) of the gate area may be the end point of a normal section located on the entrance side of the gate. The normal section may be a road section different from the gate area, such as a main line or ramp of a highway. The normal section may be a road where the speed limit is set to a value greater than a predetermined value (e.g., 40 km / h). The entrance to the gate area may be a point around the gate where the speed limit drops to or below the predetermined value. The exit of the gate area may be the start point of a normal section located on the exit side of the gate. The exit of the gate area may be a point around the gate where the speed limit increases to a value greater than a predetermined value. Thus, in one embodiment, the gate area may be defined in terms of speed limits.

[0097] If there is a junction where two roads merge before a gate, the driving system 30 may consider the junction to be the entrance to the gate area. If there is a branch point on the exit side of the gate, the driving system 30 may consider the branch point to be the exit of the post-gate area. The driving system 30 may consider the point where the road width begins to widen relative to the connecting road to be the entrance to the gate area. The driving system 30 may consider the point where some lane markings disappear to be the entrance to the gate area. In this way, in one embodiment, the gate area may be defined based on the road structure.

[0098] The gate area may be divided into a pre-gate area and a post-gate area as shown in FIG. 3. 41 in FIG. 3 indicates the pre-gate area. 42 in FIG. 3 indicates the post-gate area. The pre-gate area refers to the area of ​​the gate area located on the entrance side of the gate. The post-gate area refers to the area of ​​the gate area located on the exit side of the gate. If there is a branch point behind the gate, the processor 31 may consider the area up to the branch point to be the post-gate area. The start point (i.e., the entrance) of the gate area corresponds to the entrance of the pre-gate area. The end point (i.e., the exit) of the gate area corresponds to the exit of the post-gate area.

[0099] A gate area may include sections before and after the gate where no lane markings are provided (hereinafter referred to as laneless areas). The example shown in FIG. 3 shows a pattern in which the area before the gate is a lane area, while the area after the gate is a laneless area. A lane area is a road section where lane markings are provided. A lane area does not need to have lane markings for all gates. A lane area may be a section where lane markings are provided for at least one gate.

[0100] Gate areas can be divided into two types based on their function or role. The first type of gate area is a gate area that connects an expressway with another expressway. The two expressways may be roads with different administrators or toll systems. The first type of gate area is a gate area for entering a new (different) expressway, and can therefore be called an entrance gate area or a transfer gate area. The second type of gate area is a gate area for exiting an expressway onto an ordinary road. The second type of gate area can be called an exit gate area. In this way, gate areas can be divided into two types depending on the type of road that connects behind the gate.

[0101] In the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 3 , a road section located further before the gate area is referred to as a preparation section. Reference numeral 43 in FIG. 3 indicates the preparation section. The preparation section (43) may be a section in which the remaining distance to the entrance of the gate area is equal to or less than a predetermined preparation distance. The preparation distance may be, for example, 500 m. The preparation distance may also be 250 m or 750 m. Since the remaining distance to the entrance of the gate area is essentially the same as the remaining distance to the gate area, these expressions may be interchangeable. The preparation distance may be adjusted according to the speed limit of the normal section. The preparation distance may be defined in terms of the length of time it takes for the vehicle to reach the gate point. The preparation distance may be set to a longer value as the number of lanes on the road currently being traveled increases. The preparation distance may be set to a longer value as the number of gates installed at the gate point increases.

[0102] In addition, in this disclosure, as shown in FIG. 3, a road extending behind the gate area is referred to as a post-gate road. There may be multiple post-gate roads as branching roads. Of at least one post-gate road, the road that the vehicle plans to travel on is also referred to as a planned entry road (44a). 44 in FIG. 3 indicates the post-gate road. 44a indicates the planned entry road. FIG. 3 shows a case where the branching road on the left is the planned entry road. In addition, Gt1, Gt2, Gt3, and Gt4 in FIG. 3 each represent a gate. In the example shown in FIG. 3, gates Gt1 and Gt2 are gates leading to the planned entry road.

[0103] The processor 31 as the environment recognition unit F1 may acquire the remaining distance to the gate point and the remaining distance to the gate area using at least one of the map data, the detection results of the environmental sensor 11, and the data received from the external device. The remaining distance to the gate area may be the distance to the entrance of the gate area. The processor 31 may determine whether the vehicle is traveling in the preparation section using at least one of the map data, the detection results of the environmental sensor 11, and the data received from the external device.

[0104] For example, the processor 31 may acquire the position of the host vehicle relative to the gate point from the map data and the host vehicle position data. Acquiring the position of the host vehicle relative to the gate point corresponds to acquiring in which area the host vehicle is located: (1) the preparation section, (2) the area before the gate, (3) the area after the gate, or (4) other (i.e., the normal section other than the preparation section). The processor 31 may acquire the remaining distance to the gate point, etc., using the map data and the host vehicle position data. The processor 31 may determine the attribute of the area in which the host vehicle is traveling (hereinafter, the traveling area attribute) based on the relative position information of the host vehicle with respect to the gate point identified using the map. The traveling area attribute may be any of (1) to (4) above.

[0105] The processor 31 may also determine the driving area attribute based on the detection result of the environmental sensor 11. For example, the processor 31 may obtain the remaining distance to the gate using the environmental sensor 11, and determine that the vehicle is driving within the gate area if the remaining distance is less than a predetermined value. The processor 31 may obtain the position (remaining distance) of the vehicle relative to the gate point based on the recognition result of a guide sign indicating the remaining distance to the toll gate. The processor 31 may obtain the position of the vehicle relative to the gate point based on a wireless signal received from another vehicle or a roadside device.

[0106] <Operation Example (1) of Driving System> Here, the operation of the driving system 30 when the vehicle passes through a gate area in AD mode will be described using the flowchart shown in FIG. 4. The flowchart shown in FIG. 4 includes, as an example, steps S101 to S106. The processor 31 as the entity that executes the following steps may be replaced with the driving system 30 (or an automatic driving device). Furthermore, the processor 31 may be replaced with the environment recognition unit F1, the mode management unit F2, the planning unit F3, the motion control unit F4, or the HMI control unit F5 depending on the context.

[0107] Step S101 is a step in which the processor 31 acquires information necessary for driving control around the gate. The processor 31 may acquire, via the communication unit 34, the vehicle's position coordinates, the vehicle's lane number, the remaining distance to the gate point, information on surrounding vehicles, and the like. The information on surrounding vehicles includes whether or not there is a preceding vehicle. If there is a preceding vehicle, the information on surrounding vehicles may also include the distance, speed, and direction between the preceding vehicle and the preceding vehicle. The information on surrounding vehicles may include the positions, speeds, and directions of other vehicles other than the preceding vehicle. Step S101 may be executed periodically.

[0108] Step S102 is a step of setting a target gate. The setting of the target gate in S102 may be performed in response to entering a preparation section in AD mode. The case where the vehicle enters a preparation section may be when the remaining distance to the gate point is less than a predetermined value. In another embodiment, the setting of the target gate may be performed before entering the preparation section.

[0109] The target gate may be determined according to the settlement method supported by the vehicle. The processor 31 as the planning unit F3 may be configured to determine whether the automatic settlement function of the vehicle is available and set the target gate based on the determination result. The automatic settlement function is a function for automatically settling tolls for toll roads. The automatic settlement function may be available when a dedicated card (so-called ETC card) is inserted into an onboard device (e.g., an ETC onboard device) that wirelessly communicates with an external device for payment. If the vehicle is not equipped with an onboard device for automatic settlement or if an ETC card is not inserted into the onboard device, the processor 31 may determine that the automatic settlement function is unavailable. Information on onboard equipment, such as whether an onboard device is installed, may be registered in advance in the storage 33, etc. The processor 31 may determine whether an onboard device for automatic settlement is installed by referring to the storage 33. Furthermore, if the vehicle is equipped with an on-board device, the processor 31 may obtain whether an ETC card is inserted in the on-board device by communicating with the on-board device. The processor 31 may obtain whether the automatic settlement function is available through an operational input by the driver.

[0110] When the automatic fare adjustment function is available, the processor 31 selects a gate corresponding to the automatic fare adjustment method as a candidate gate. The processor 31 may then set a target gate from among the candidate gates. When there are multiple candidate gates, the processor 31 may set a gate among the candidate gates corresponding to a planned entry road as the target gate. As described above, the planned entry road is a road along which the vehicle is scheduled to travel after passing through the gate point. A gate corresponding to the planned entry road is a gate located in front of the planned entry road, in other words, a gate from which the vehicle can enter the planned entry road by driving straight after passing through the gate.

[0111] For example, the processor 31 may set the gate closest to the planned approach road as the target gate among multiple candidate gates. In another example, the processor 31 may set the gate closest to the current driving position among the candidate gates as the target gate. If there is only one candidate gate, the processor 31 may set the candidate gate as the target gate. If the automatic fare adjustment function is unavailable, the processor 31 may select a target gate from among gates with manual payment methods. If there is only one available gate due to a blockage or the like, the processor 31 may also set the gate as the target gate. The procedure for setting the target gate is not limited to this. The target gate may be determined using various algorithms. In the present disclosure, gates that are permissible in the path plan are also referred to as allowable gates. The allowable gate may be a gate corresponding to the planned approach road. Gates adjacent to the gate corresponding to the planned approach road may also be included in the allowable gates. The processor 31 may first select an allowable gate and then set the allowable gate as the target gate from among the allowable gates based on the payment method supported by the vehicle, the vehicle's driving position in the preparation section, or the planned approach road. After S102, S103 is executed.

[0112] S103 is a step for determining whether or not lane marks are provided in the area in front of the gate. The determination in S103 may be made based on map data, the environmental sensor 11, etc. If lane marks are provided in the area in front of the gate, that is, if the area in front of the gate is a lane area, the processor 31 executes S104. On the other hand, if lane marks are not provided in the area in front of the gate, that is, if the area in front of the gate is a laneless area, the processor 31 executes S105.

[0113] S104 is a step of setting the level within the gate area to 3. S104 may also be a step of setting the level within the gate area to 4. The level within the gate area is the automation level when traveling within the gate area. S104 may also be a step of setting the level within the gate area to the same level as the current level. The current level may be the automation level when traveling in the preparation section. S104 may also be a step of determining that the automation level when traveling in the preparation section (i.e., the current level) will be maintained within the gate area. Maintaining the automation level corresponds to maintaining the operating mode. S104 may also be a step of determining that the current mode, which is the operating mode when traveling in the preparation section, will be maintained within the gate area. For example, if the automation level when traveling in the preparation section is 3, the processor 31 may set the automation level within the gate area to 3.

[0114] S105 is a step of setting the level within the gate area to 2.5. S105 may also be a step of setting the level within the gate area to 2.0. If the area in front of the gate is a laneless area, the processor 31 may set the level within the gate area to 0 or 1 in S105. S105 may also be a step of setting the level within the gate area to a predetermined value lower than the current level. For example, if the current level is 3, the processor 31 may set the level within the gate area to 2.5 (or 2.0). S105 may also be a step of setting the level within the gate area to a level lower than the current level by a predetermined amount (for example, one level). The automation level after the lowering may be determined based on the current level.

[0115] When there are no lane marks, it is more difficult for the driving system 30 to identify the vehicle's position on the map than when there are lane marks. When the area in front of the gate is a laneless area as described above, safety can be improved by lowering the automation level compared to when it is a lane-based area.

[0116] If it is determined in S105 that the automation level will be lowered within the gate area, the processor 31 as the HMI control unit F5 may notify the driver of this in S106. This means that the automation level within the gate area will be lowered. This notification may be made a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) or more before the scheduled time of entering the gate area. The notification of the lowering of the automation level within the gate area may be accompanied by the display of a predetermined notification image, the output of a notification sound, the output of a voice message, or the activation of a vibrator.

[0117] As described above, in one embodiment, when the area in front of the gate is a laneless section, the processor 31 switches the gate area level to a level where the driver is responsible for monitoring the surroundings. This allows not only the system but also the driver to monitor the surroundings. By having both the system and the driver monitor the surroundings, the risk of contact or excessive proximity between the host vehicle and another vehicle can be reduced. Excessive proximity here refers to a state immediately before a collision, and may also be called a near crash. In other words, the above control makes it easier to maintain an appropriate distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle around the gate. This can ultimately improve safety.

[0118] If there are lane marks in the area in front of the gate, the driving system 30 can easily identify the position of the vehicle. Furthermore, if there are lane marks in the area in front of the gate, other vehicles are likely to move according to the lane marks. When other vehicles cross over the lane marks, they may issue a signal using a turn signal or the like. If there are lane marks in the area in front of the gate, the processor 31 can more easily predict the movement of other vehicles than if there are no lane marks. Therefore, if there are lane marks in the area in front of the gate, the risk of contact between the vehicle and other vehicles can be reduced even when driving within the gate area in level 3 or 4 mode. If there are lane marks in the area in front of the gate, maintaining AD mode can improve convenience for the driver.

[0119] The above example illustrates a case where the host vehicle enters the preparation section in AD mode, but this is not limited to this. The present invention may also be applied to a case where the host vehicle enters the preparation section in hands-off level 2 mode (i.e., automation level 2.5). In this case, step S105 may be a step of reducing the automation level within the gate area to 2.0 or lower.

[0120] Furthermore, when the vehicle enters the preparation section in level 4 mode, step S105 may be a step of setting the automation level within the gate area to level 3. Furthermore, the advance notice in step S106 may be accompanied by an eyes-on request.

[0121] In another embodiment, S103 may be a step of determining whether lane marks are provided in the post-gate area. That is, the area of ​​interest in S103 may be the post-gate area rather than the pre-gate area. If lane marks are provided in the post-gate area, the processor 31 may be configured to maintain automation level 3 or 4 in the gate area in S104. If lane marks are not provided in the post-gate area, the processor 31 may set the automation level in the gate area to a level lower than the current level in S105.

[0122] In another embodiment, S103 may be a step of determining whether lane marks are provided in both the pre-gate area and the post-gate area. That is, the area of ​​interest in S103 may be the entire gate area. If both the pre-gate area and the post-gate area are lane areas, the processor 31 may be configured to maintain automation level 3 or 4 in the gate area in S104. If at least one of the pre-gate area and the post-gate area is a lane-free area, the processor 31 may set the automation level in the gate area to a level lower than the current level in S105.

[0123] In one embodiment, the process may be executed when the host vehicle enters the preparation area so that the advance notice of step S106 can be given with sufficient time to proceed. However, the timing of the execution of the process for setting the automation level within the gate area is not limited to this. The processor 31 may execute the process for setting the automation level within the gate area after the host vehicle enters the pre-gate area or immediately before entering the pre-gate area.

[0124] Alternatively, the processor 31 may be configured to change the gate area level depending on whether (1) there are lane marks in both the pre-gate area and the post-gate area, (2) there is a gate only in the pre-gate area, or (3) other cases. For example, when the control is traveling in the preparation section in an operating mode with an automation level of 3 or higher, the processor 31 may preset the gate area level using the procedure shown in FIG. 5. S111 in FIG. 5 is a step of determining whether there are lane marks in both the pre-gate area and the post-gate area. If lane marks are provided in both the pre-gate area and the post-gate area (YES in S111), the processor 31 executes S112. S112 is a step of determining to maintain the current level in the gate area as well. S112 may be interpreted as a step of maintaining the AD mode.

[0125] On the other hand, if lane marks are not provided in at least one of the pre-gate area and the post-gate area (S111 NO), the processor 31 executes S113. S113 is a step of determining whether lane marks are provided in the pre-gate area. If lane marks are provided in the pre-gate area (S113 YES), the processor 31 executes S114. S114 is a step of setting the level within the gate area to 2.5. S114 corresponds to a step of pre-setting the operation mode within the gate area to hands-off level 2 mode. Note that S114 may also be a step of setting the level within the gate area to 2.0. S114 is an example of control in which, when lane marks are not provided in at least one of the pre-gate area and the post-gate area, the automation level in the gate area is lowered compared to when lane marks are provided in both the pre-gate area and the post-gate area.

[0126] On the other hand, if no lane markings are provided in the area in front of the gate (NO in S114), the processor 31 sets the level within the gate area to 0 or 1 (S115). S115 is a step of presetting the operation mode within the gate area to an operation mode in which the driver performs all or most of the driving tasks, such as a manual driving mode or a level 1 mode.

[0127] According to the above control example, when lane markings are provided before and after the gate, AD mode is maintained, which can improve convenience for the driver. Also, even if there are no lane markings in the area after the gate, if there are lane markings in the area before the gate, AD mode is canceled, but control equivalent to level 2.5 is maintained. Although the driver is required to monitor the surroundings, most of the driving task is performed by the system. Therefore, it is possible to achieve both safety and convenience.

[0128] In the area before the gate, both the driver's vehicle and other vehicles are heading toward their respective target gates, making it easy for their trajectories to intersect. Furthermore, in the area before the gate, which directly connects to the main highway, other vehicles (especially manually driven vehicles) may be traveling at higher speeds than in the area after the gate. On the other hand, on the exit side of the gate, the gate regulates the lateral positions and orientations of the driver's vehicle and other vehicles. Furthermore, the traveling speed of other vehicles may be lower on the exit side of the gate than on the entrance side. Therefore, it is predicted that the exit side of the gate will be less difficult to control than the entrance side. Paradoxically, it is expected that the area before the gate will be more difficult to control for automated driving than the area after the gate. In other words, lane markings in the area before the gate may be more important for control than lane markings in the area after the gate. In the above control example, if there are no lane markings in the area before the gate, the automation level is lowered compared to when there are lane markings in the area before the gate. This may increase safety.

[0129] <Operation Example (2) of Driving System> The processor 31 may be configured to acquire entry / exit gaps based on map data, etc., and determine the automation level when traveling within a gate area according to the entry / exit gaps. For example, the processor 31 may be configured to lower the level within the gate area as the entry / exit gap increases. The entry / exit gap here is the difference between the number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes. The entry / exit gap may also be called the lane number difference. The entry / exit gap may be expressed as an absolute value. The entry / exit gap is a variable parameter that takes a positive integer.

[0130] 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the processor 31 corresponding to the above technical concept, and includes steps S121 to S124. S121 may be executed when the host vehicle enters the preparation section or when the remaining distance to the gate point becomes less than a predetermined value. The execution condition of S121 may include being in the AD mode.

[0131] S121 is a step in which the processor 31 acquires entry and exit gaps. S121 may be executed in response to acquisition of road information near the gate from a roadside device or the like. S121 may include acquiring the number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes. S121 may be executed based on map data. S122 is executed following S121.

[0132] S122 is a step for determining whether the entry / exit gap is less than a predetermined threshold. In the figure, "ΔLN" represents the entry / exit gap. "ThD" represents the threshold for the entry / exit gap. The threshold may be 2, 3, or 4. If the entry / exit gap is less than the threshold (YES in S122), the process proceeds to S123. On the other hand, if the entry / exit gap is equal to or greater than the threshold (NO in S122), the process proceeds to S124.

[0133] S123 is a step of setting the level within the gated region to 3 (or 4). S123 may be a step of the processor 31 determining to maintain the current level within the gated region. S124, similar to S105, is a step of presetting the level within the gated region to a predetermined value lower than the current level. For example, in S124, the processor 31 may set the level within the gated region to 2.5. In another example, in S124, the processor 31 may set the level within the gated region to 2.0.

[0134] Generally, a large entry / exit gap means that the scale of the road changes significantly before and after the gate. In such cases, the host vehicle and other vehicles are likely to move significantly laterally in the gate area, which may increase the difficulty of automated driving. To address this issue, in one embodiment, when the entry / exit gap is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the processor 31 reduces the gate area level compared to when the entry / exit gap is less than the predetermined value. For example, when the entry / exit gap is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the processor 31 sets the automation level to a level that requires the driver to monitor the surroundings. This may enable the driving system 30 to appropriately control the host vehicle in response to irrational movements of other vehicles that cannot be foreseen.

[0135] The processor 31 may change the gate area level in three or more stages depending on the entry / exit gap. For example, if the entry / exit gap is 0 or 1, the current level (3 or 4) may be maintained, and if the entry / exit gap is 2, the gate area level may be set to 2.5. Furthermore, if the entry / exit gap is 3 or more, the processor 31 may set the gate area level to 1 or 0.

[0136] Also, if the automation level in the preparation section is 4, the processor 31 may lower the level within the gate area in the order of 4 → 3 → 2.5 → 1 (or 0) as the entry / exit gap becomes larger.

[0137] <Operation Example (3) of the Driving System> As described in the above operation example (2), the larger the entry / exit gap, the more complex the movements of other vehicles before and after the gate. Therefore, in order to improve safety, the processor 31 may be configured to reduce the set speed as the entry / exit gap becomes larger.

[0138] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the processor 31 corresponding to the above technical concept, and includes steps S131 to S134. S131 may be executed based on the host vehicle entering the preparation section or the remaining distance to the gate point becoming less than a predetermined value. The execution condition of S131 may include the host vehicle traveling in the preparation section in an operating mode in which the automatic travel speed adjustment function is enabled. In this disclosure, the operating mode in which the automatic travel speed adjustment function is enabled is also referred to as a speed management mode. The speed management mode may essentially be an operating mode in which the ACC is active. Examples of the speed management mode include level 1 mode, hands-on level 2 mode, hands-off level 2 mode, level 3 mode, and level 4 mode. If the driving system 30 has a level 5 mode, which is an operating mode that performs control equivalent to level 5, the level 5 mode may also be included in the speed management mode and AD mode.

[0139] S131 is a step in which the processor 31 acquires an entry / exit gap, similar to S121. S132 is executed after S131. S132 is a step in which it is determined whether the entry / exit gap is less than a predetermined threshold. If the entry / exit gap is less than the threshold (YES in S132), the process proceeds to S133. On the other hand, if the entry / exit gap is equal to or greater than the threshold (NO in S132), the process proceeds to S134.

[0140] S133 is a step in which the processor 31 sets the set speed within the gate area to a first speed. The first speed may be a pre-registered fixed value, such as 30 km / h. "Vset" in the figure represents the set speed within the gate area. "V1" represents the first speed. The first speed (V1) may be set to a value according to the speed limit within the gate area. If the minimum speed limit within the gate area is 40 km / h, V1 may be set to 40 km / h.

[0141] S134 is a step in which the processor 31 sets the set speed within the gate area to a second speed. The second speed may be set to be smaller than the first speed. The second speed may be a pre-registered fixed value, such as 20 km / h. "V2" in the figure represents the second speed. The second speed (V2) may be set to a value corresponding to the speed limit within the gate area. The second speed may be set to a value that is a predetermined amount (e.g., 10 km / h) smaller than the speed limit. If the minimum speed limit within the gate area is 40 km / h, V2 may be 30 km / h.

[0142] According to the above configuration, the traveling speed is reduced in the gate area where the lateral movement of the vehicle may become large, which can further improve safety.

[0143] The processor 31 may change the set speed within the gate area in three or more stages depending on the entry / exit gap. For example, when the entry / exit gap is 0 or 1, the set speed may be set to the speed limit, and when the entry / exit gap is 2, the set speed may be set to a value 5 km / h lower than the speed limit. Furthermore, when the entry / exit gap is 3 or greater, the processor 31 may set the set speed to a value 10 km / h lower than the speed limit.

[0144] <Operation example (4) of the operation system> The processor 31 may set the automation level within the gate area separately before and after passing through the gate. In other words, the automation level in the pre-gate area and the automation level in the post-gate area may be the same or different. They may each be determined by a different algorithm. Hereinafter, the automation level in the pre-gate area may also be referred to as the pre-gate level, and the automation level in the post-gate area may also be referred to as the post-gate level.

[0145] The processor 31 may be configured to determine the post-gate level depending on whether the number of exiting lanes is equal to or greater than the number of entering lanes. The processor 31 may determine the post-gate level according to the procedure shown in FIG. 8. That is, in S141, the processor 31 acquires the number of entering lanes (LN1) and the number of exiting lanes (LN2). S141 may be executed based on the vehicle entering the preparation section in AD mode. S141 may be executed based on the vehicle entering the preparation section regardless of the automation level. Once S141 is completed, S142 is executed. In the figure, "LN1" represents the number of entering lanes, and "LN2" represents the number of exiting lanes.

[0146] In step S142, the processor 31 determines whether the number of exit lanes is equal to or greater than the number of entry lanes, i.e., whether LN2≧LN1 is true. If LN2≧LN1 is true (YES in step S142), the processor 31 executes step S143. On the other hand, if LN2≧LN1 is not true (NO in step S142), the processor 31 executes step S144.

[0147] In step S143, the processor 31 sets the post-gate level to 3. In step S144, the processor 31 sets the post-gate level to 2.5. "LV_AFT" in the figure represents the automation level in the post-gate area, that is, the post-gate level.

[0148] The case where LN2≧LN1 is satisfied means that the exit of the gate area is wider than the entrance or is of equal size. In such a road configuration, the trajectory of the vehicle after passing through the gate is unlikely to intersect with the trajectory of another vehicle. By switching to AD mode after passing through the gate, it is possible to ensure safety while improving convenience for the driver.

[0149] Furthermore, when LN2≧LN1 is not true, i.e., when LN2<LN1, the processor 31 sets the post-gate level to a level at which the driver needs to monitor the surroundings. When LN2<LN1, the density of vehicles in the post-gate area may be higher than when LN2≧LN1. As a result, the distance between the subject vehicle and other vehicles is likely to be small. When LN2<LN1, lowering the automation level and leaving some or all of the driving task to the driver can be expected to improve safety.

[0150] The processor 31 may be configured to set the post-gating level to 4 in S143 and to set the post-gating level to 3 in S144. The processor 31 may also be configured to set the post-gating level to 2.5 in S143 and to set the post-gating level to a value equal to or less than 2.0 (for example, 2.0 or 1) in S144.

[0151] In another embodiment, the processor 31 may set the automation level in the post-gate area to 3 or 4 when the number of exiting lanes is less than the number of entering lanes. In this other embodiment, the processor 31 may set the automation level in the post-gate area to a predetermined value of 2.5 or less when the number of exiting lanes is equal to or greater than the number of entering lanes. If the exit is wider than the entrance, the possibility of a manually operated vehicle suddenly accelerating in the post-gate area may increase. In order to appropriately respond to such suddenly accelerating other vehicles, the processor 31 may set the operating mode in the post-gate area to an operating mode in which the driver is required to monitor the surroundings.

[0152] The automation level in the pre-gate area may be determined by the algorithm described below, or may be determined by the method for setting the level within the gate area described above.

[0153] Although the above describes an embodiment in which the post-gate level is determined based on the magnitude relationship between the number of exiting lanes and the number of entering lanes, the method for determining the post-gate level is not limited to this. The processor 31 may determine the post-gate level based on the magnitude relationship between the number of exiting lanes and the number of gates. The number of gates is the number of gates installed at the gate point. The processor 31 may set the post-gate level to 3 or more if the number of exiting lanes is equal to or greater than the number of gates. The processor 31 may also set the post-gate level to less than 3 if the number of exiting lanes is less than the number of gates. This is because the probability of cut-ins increases when the number of exiting lanes is less than the number of gates. The example of operation of the processor 31 described using FIG. 8 may be implemented by replacing the number of entering lanes (LN1) with the number of gates.

[0154] <Operation Example (5) of Driving System> The processor 31 may be configured to determine the gate pre-level depending on whether the number of exiting lanes is equal to or greater than the number of entering lanes. The processor 31 may determine the gate pre-level according to the procedure shown in FIG. 9. That is, in S151, the processor 31 acquires the number of entering lanes (LN1) and the number of exiting lanes (LN2). S151 may be executed based on entering the preparation section in AD mode. S151 may also be executed based on entering the preparation section regardless of the automation level. Once S151 is completed, S152 is executed.

[0155] In step S152, the processor 31 determines whether LN2≧LN1 is true. If LN2≧LN1 is true (YES in step S152), the processor 31 executes step S153. On the other hand, if LN2≧LN1 is not true (NO in step S152), the processor 31 executes step S154.

[0156] In step S153, the processor 31 sets the pre-gate level to 3. In step S154, the processor 31 sets the pre-gate level to 2.5. "LV_BFR" in the figure represents the automation level in the pre-gate area, that is, the pre-gate level.

[0157] The number of gates may be equal to the number of exit lanes. When LN2 ≥ LN1 is true, the number of gates may be equal to or greater than the number of entry lanes. When the number of gates is equal to or greater than the number of entry lanes, congestion in front of the gate is less likely than when the number of gates is less than the number of entry lanes. When LN2 ≥ LN1 is true, driver convenience can be improved by setting the level in front of the gate to 3 or more.

[0158] On the other hand, if LN2<LN1, there is a possibility that the number of gates is less than the number of entry lanes. If the number of gates is less than the number of entry lanes, the area in front of the gate is likely to become congested, and the distance between vehicles is likely to become short. If LN2<LN1, safety can be ensured by setting the operation mode to require the driver to monitor the surroundings before passing through the gate.

[0159] The processor 31 may be configured to set the pre-gate level to 4 in S153 and to set the pre-gate level to 3 in S154. The processor 31 may also be configured to set the pre-gate level to 2.5 in S153 and to set the pre-gate level to a value equal to or less than 2.0, such as 2.0, 1, or 0 in S154.

[0160] In another embodiment, when the number of exit lanes is less than the number of entry lanes, the processor 31 may set the automation level in the pre-gate area to 3 or 4. In this other embodiment, when the number of exit lanes is equal to or greater than the number of entry lanes, the processor 31 may set the automation level in the pre-gate area to a predetermined value of 2.5 or less. This is because lateral movement in the pre-gate area may become more active when the number of exit lanes is equal to or greater than the number of entry lanes.

[0161] Although the above describes a mode in which the pre-gate level is determined based on the magnitude relationship between the number of exit lanes and the number of entry lanes, the method for determining the pre-gate level is not limited to this. The processor 31 may determine the pre-gate level based on the magnitude relationship between the number of entry lanes and the number of gates. The processor 31 may set the pre-gate level to 3 or more when the number of entry lanes is fewer than the number of gates. Furthermore, when the number of entry lanes is equal to or greater than the number of gates, the processor 31 may set the pre-gate level to less than 3 because congestion in front of the gates is expected. The operation example of the processor 31 described using FIG. 9 may be implemented by replacing the number of exit lanes (LN2) with the number of gates.

[0162] As described in operation examples (4) and (5), the processor 31 may be configured to determine the pre-gate level and the post-gate level based on a combination of the number of exiting lanes and the number of entering lanes. In one embodiment, the processor 31 may be configured to set the post-gate level to the same as the pre-gate level when the number of exiting lanes is equal to or greater than the number of entering lanes. For example, the processor 31 may set the pre-gate level and the post-gate level to 3 or 4.

[0163] In another embodiment, processor 31 may be configured to increase the post-gate level above the pre-gate level when the number of exiting lanes is greater than the number of entering lanes. For example, processor 31 may set the pre-gate level to 2.5 and the post-gate level to 3 or 4. In another embodiment, processor 31 may be configured to decrease the post-gate level below the pre-gate level when the number of exiting lanes is greater than the number of entering lanes. For example, processor 31 may set the pre-gate level to 3 or 4 and the post-gate level to 2.5 or 2.0.

[0164] In another embodiment, processor 31 may be configured to set the post-gate level higher than the pre-gate level when the number of exiting lanes is less than the number of entering lanes. For example, processor 31 may set the pre-gate level to 2.5 and the post-gate level to 3 or 4. In another embodiment, processor 31 may be configured to set the post-gate level lower than the pre-gate level when the number of exiting lanes is less than the number of entering lanes. For example, processor 31 may set the pre-gate level to 3 or 4 and the post-gate level to 2.5 or 2.0. Processor 31 may be configured to set different automation levels before and after passing through a gate.

[0165] <Operation Example (6) of Driving System> When the vehicle is scheduled to enter a gate area in a speed management mode including the AD mode, the processor 31 may be configured to maintain a set speed at a constant value while the vehicle is traveling through the gate area. For example, the processor 31 may be configured to control the vehicle Hv according to the procedure shown in Fig. 10. S161 included in the flowchart of Fig. 10 may be executed in response to the vehicle entering the preparation section in the AD mode.

[0166] S161 is a step in which the processor 31 determines the intra-area speed. The intra-area speed is a set speed that is consistently applied within the gate area. Because the intra-area speed is the speed used to pass through the gate, it may also be referred to as the gate passage speed. A value appropriate for driving through the gate area is applied to the intra-area speed. The intra-area speed may be the speed limit set for the gate area. If the gate area includes multiple sections with different speed limits, the intra-area speed may be the minimum of the multiple speed limits set for the gate area. For example, if the gate area includes a section with a maximum speed of 60 km / h and a section with a maximum speed of 40 km / h, the intra-area speed may be set to 40 km / h. As described herein, in one embodiment, the intra-area speed may be a value corresponding to the speed limit near the gate. The processor 31 may obtain information about the speed limit within the gate area based on map data, data received by the wireless communication device 15, sign recognition results by the camera 111, or the like.

[0167] In other embodiments, the intra-area speed may be determined taking into account the recommended speed. For example, if the recommended speed for passing through a gate is set to 20 km / h, the intra-area speed may be set to 20 km / h. The recommended speed may be a driving speed recommended by a road administrator or the like, and may be a speed posted on a sign or the like. The recommended speed may also be a speed set by a designer of the driving system 30. The processor 31 may also acquire the recommended speed based on map data, data received by the wireless communication device 15, or the results of sign recognition by the camera 111. The intra-area speed may be determined within a range equal to or less than a predetermined value (e.g., 40 km / m). The intra-area speed is constant within the gate area. Note that the intra-area speed may differ for each gate area.

[0168] The processor 31 may set the in-zone speed to a value that exceeds the recommended speed within the speed limit, such as 30 km / h. A basic value for the in-zone speed may be registered in the storage 33. The basic value for the in-zone speed may be registered in the driving system 30 by the driver via a predetermined setting screen. The processor 31 may compare the basic value pre-registered by the driver with the speed limit and set the smaller one as the in-zone speed.

[0169] After S161 is completed, S162 is executed. S162 is a step of decelerating to the in-area speed within the preparation section. The processor 31 may create an operation plan so that the speed just when entering the gate area reaches the in-area speed. The deceleration may be a predetermined value. The deceleration start point may be set based on a preset deceleration, the in-area speed, and the current set speed. Note that in another embodiment, the processor 31 may start deceleration so as to reach the in-area speed a predetermined distance before the gate area. When the speed reaches the in-area speed, the processor 31 executes S163.

[0170] S163 may be a step in which the processor 31 continues autonomous driving while maintaining the set speed at a pre-calculated intra-area speed (i.e., a constant value). Hereinafter, continuing to drive while fixing the set speed at the intra-area speed (in other words, the gate passage speed) is also referred to as speed lock. Furthermore, the state in which the set speed is fixed at a constant intra-area speed is also referred to as a speed lock state. S163 may be executed based on the host vehicle's entry into a gate area. Of course, even while the set speed is set to the intra-area speed, the processor 31 may decelerate the host vehicle in response to an interruption by another vehicle, etc. The speed lock in S163 may maintain the intra-area speed as the target speed for control. Even during speed lock, the actual speed may fall below the intra-area speed to avoid a collision or maintain a safe distance between vehicles.

[0171] S164 is a step in which the processor 31 determines whether the vehicle has exited the gate area. S164 may be executed periodically while the set speed is set to the in-area speed. Whether the vehicle has exited the gate area may be determined by comparing map data with the vehicle position data or based on the detection results of the environmental sensor 11. If it is determined that the vehicle has exited the gate area (YES in S164), the processor 31 may accelerate the vehicle toward the speed limit of the planned entrance road in S165.

[0172] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of vehicle behavior based on the above control. As shown in FIG. 11, the processor 31 starts deceleration while traveling through the preparation section, and maintains a constant speed while traveling through the gate area. The processor 31 may then start accelerating once the vehicle exits the gate area. FIG. 11 shows a pattern in which the vehicle is set to Level 3 mode in the preparation section and after passing through the gate, and to Hands-Off Level 2 mode in the area before the gate. The embodiment relating to the control of the set speed and the embodiment relating to the control of the automation level may be combined as appropriate.

[0173] In the above configuration, the maximum speed while traveling through the gate area is constant. This configuration can provide a greater sense of security to occupants than a configuration in which the maximum speed changes dynamically. The speed within the area may be a value smaller than the set speed while traveling through the preparation section. The set speed while traveling through the preparation section may be set to a value in accordance with the speed limit, such as 60 km / m or 80 km / m. The processor 31 may set the set speed while traveling through the preparation section based on the speed limit indicated in the map data or the speed limit detected by the camera 111. In contrast, the speed within the area is set to a sufficiently small value, such as the recommended speed, as described above. The speed within the area may be a value less than half the set speed of the normal section.

[0174] In another embodiment, the processor 31 may change the set speed between the pre-gate region and the post-gate region. The processor 31 may set the set speed in the post-gate region to a value that is higher by a predetermined amount (e.g., 10 km / h) than the set speed in the pre-gate region.

[0175] The processor 31 may change the set speed for the post-gate area depending on whether the gate area is an exit gate area or not. The set speed for the post-gate area of ​​an exit gate area may be set to a value that is a predetermined amount lower than the set speed for the post-gate area of ​​an entry gate area. For example, the set speed for the post-gate area of ​​an exit gate area may be 40 km / h, and the set speed for the post-gate area of ​​an entry gate area may be 50 km / h.

[0176] In one embodiment, the speed locking described above may be performed only in an operation mode in which the function for automatically adjusting the traveling speed and the automatic steering function are enabled (i.e., an operation mode of level 2 or higher). In other words, the processor 31 may perform the speed locking process when the vehicle is scheduled to enter a gate area in an operation mode of level 2 or higher. The speed locking process is a process for fixing the set speed within the gate area to the in-area speed (also referred to as the gate passage speed). Of course, in other embodiments, the speed locking process may also be performed in an operation mode equivalent to level 1.

[0177] Although the above describes an example of control in which the vehicle decelerates to the in-zone speed within the preparation section, the timing for starting deceleration is not limited to this. The vehicle may decelerate to the in-zone speed after entering the pre-gate area. S162 may be replaced with a step of starting deceleration in response to entering the gate area.

[0178] In the above description, the processor 31 releases the speed lock and starts accelerating when the vehicle exits the gate area. However, the timing for releasing the speed lock is not limited to this. The processor 31 may change the timing for releasing the speed lock depending on the traffic conditions after passing through the gate. The traffic conditions after passing through the gate may be, for example, the presence or absence of surrounding vehicles in the area after the gate.

[0179] For example, if a surrounding vehicle is detected in the post-gate area, the processor 31 releases the speed lock when the vehicle exits the post-gate area. That is, if a surrounding vehicle is detected, the processor 31 may continue the speed lock until the vehicle exits the post-gate area. On the other hand, if a surrounding vehicle is not detected in the post-gate area, the processor 31 may release the speed lock when the vehicle exits the gate.

[0180] FIG. 12 shows an example of the operation of the processor 31. Steps S201 to S204 shown in FIG. 12 may be executed in place of steps S164 to S165 described above. Step S201 is a step in which the processor 31 determines, based on sensor data, whether the vehicle has passed through the gate. Step S202 is a step in which the processor 31 determines, based on sensor data, whether a nearby vehicle is present. In one aspect, the nearby vehicles may be other vehicles present on the left and right (including diagonally forward and diagonally backward) of the vehicle. Other vehicles that may be approaching in front of or behind the vehicle correspond to the nearby vehicles involved in the speed lock release determination. Of course, in other aspects, the nearby vehicles involved in the speed lock release determination may include vehicles traveling ahead (including diagonally forward) of the vehicle. Step S203 is a step in which the speed lock is released and acceleration is initiated, and Step S204 is a step in which the processor 31 determines whether the vehicle has exited the gate area.

[0181] According to the control mode shown in Fig. 12, if there are no surrounding vehicles, acceleration is initiated early. This can improve convenience for the driver. Furthermore, since there are no surrounding vehicles, safety can be ensured. If a surrounding vehicle is detected, low-speed travel is maintained until the vehicle exits the gate area, which can improve safety.

[0182] In another embodiment, the processor 31 may change the timing for releasing the speed lock depending on whether or not there is a preceding vehicle. When there is a preceding vehicle, the processor 31 may start tracking control with the preceding vehicle as the target vehicle. To this end, the processor 31 may be configured to release the speed lock when the preceding vehicle passes through a gate when there is a preceding vehicle. Conversely, when there is no preceding vehicle, the speed lock state may be maintained until the vehicle passes through the gate area.

[0183] In yet another embodiment, the processor 31 may change the timing of releasing the speed lock depending on whether or not there is a following vehicle. Maintaining a low speed when a following vehicle is present may disrupt traffic flow or induce aggressive overtaking by the following vehicle. The processor 31 may be configured to release the speed lock earlier when a following vehicle is present while traveling through the post-gate area than when there is no following vehicle. Specifically, when there is a following vehicle, the processor 31 may be configured to release the speed lock after passing through the gate or after traveling a predetermined distance since passing through the gate. Conversely, when there is no following vehicle, the speed lock may be maintained until the vehicle leaves the gate area. Alternatively, the point at which the speed lock is released and acceleration begins may be when the remaining distance to the exit point of the gate area reaches a predetermined value, such as 30 m.

[0184] <Example of Operation of Driving System (7)> ​​When the processor 31 is performing tracking control in the area in front of the gate, the processor 31 may periodically determine (verify) whether the target vehicle is heading toward the target gate of the host vehicle. If it is determined that the target vehicle is not heading toward the target gate of the host vehicle, the processor 31 may cancel the tracking state.

[0185] For example, the processor 31 may control the following state according to the procedure shown in FIG. 13. S171 shown in FIG. 13 is a step for determining an allowable gate based on the positional relationship between the planned entry road and the gate. As described above, the allowable gate may be a gate located in front of the planned entry road. The allowable gate may also include a gate adjacent to a gate located in front of the planned entry road. S171 may be executed at any timing, such as when traveling through a preparation section or when entering a gate area. When S171 is completed, S172 is executed.

[0186] S172 is a step in which the processor 31 acquires the gate toward which the target vehicle is heading (in other words, the destination) based on the orientation and current position of the target vehicle. The orientation and position of the target vehicle may be acquired from the detection results of the environmental sensor 11 or through vehicle-to-vehicle communication. S172 may be executed periodically while the target vehicle or the host vehicle is traveling in the gate area.

[0187] In response to the result of S172, the processor 31 executes S173. S173 is a step for determining whether the target vehicle is heading toward the allowable gate for the host vehicle. If the destination of the target vehicle estimated in S172 is included in the allowable gate for the host vehicle (YES in S173), the processor 31 continues the following state (S174). On the other hand, if the destination of the target vehicle estimated in S172 is not included in the allowable gate for the host vehicle (NO in S173), the processor 31 cancels the following state (S175). While the following state is continued, the processor 31 may periodically execute S172 to S173. S172 to S173 may be steps for periodically determining whether the target vehicle is heading toward the target gate for the host vehicle.

[0188] When the following state is cancelled, the processor 31 may generate a trajectory from the current position toward the target gate and autonomously drive the host vehicle along the trajectory. When the following state is cancelled, the processor 31 may execute a process of searching for a new target vehicle while autonomously driving. For example, the processor 31 may search for another vehicle heading toward the target gate or the allowance gate from among the vehicles ahead. When another vehicle heading toward the target gate or the allowance gate is discovered, the processor 31 may set the discovered other vehicle as the target vehicle and start the following control. In this way, the processor 31 may be configured to terminate the following control or switch the target vehicle when it detects that the destination of the target vehicle is different from that of the host vehicle.

[0189] The processor 31 may perform the following process to switch a vehicle that is likely to be traveling in the same direction as the vehicle itself to the target vehicle while traveling in the preparation section. That is, if the preparation section has multiple lanes, the processor 31 may change lanes within the preparation section to a lane closer to the target gate / planned entry road.

[0190] Furthermore, while the vehicle is traveling in a lane close to the target gate / planned entry road within the preparation section, the processor 31 may set the distance from the preceding vehicle to be a predetermined amount longer than the basic value. The basic value may be a value determined according to the traveling speed. The basic value may be a value applied when traveling in a normal section, etc. The basic value may be determined based on the concept of inter-vehicle time. Increasing the distance from the preceding vehicle makes it easier for other vehicles to get in front of the vehicle.

[0191] Another vehicle changing lanes into the own vehicle's lane in the preparation section is likely to be a vehicle taking the same route as the own vehicle after the gate. In one embodiment, the processor 31 increases the inter-vehicle distance in the preparation section to induce other vehicles to cut in. This makes it more likely that the preceding vehicle (i.e., the target vehicle) will be a vehicle heading to the same destination as the own vehicle. As a result, the risk of the target vehicle changing lanes within the gate area due to differences in route can be reduced.

[0192] In one embodiment included in the present disclosure, the processor 31 may be configured to cancel the following state and head to another gate if a queue has formed at the gate the target vehicle is heading for. The processor 31 may acquire information indicating the congestion level for each gate based on the detection results of the environmental sensor 11 or a wireless signal received by the wireless communication device 15. The congestion level of a gate may be the number of vehicles lined up at the gate. If the roadside device distributes congestion level information for the gate, the processor 31 may receive the congestion level information from the roadside device. The processor 31 may also acquire the length of the queue of other vehicles in front of the admission gate from the detection results of the environmental sensor 11. The information indicating the congestion level may be the length of the waiting queue.

[0193] For example, the processor 31 may compare the congestion level of the gate toward which the target vehicle is heading (hereinafter referred to as the first gate) with the congestion level of another gate (hereinafter referred to as the second gate). If the first gate is busier than the second gate, the processor 31 may cancel tracking of the target vehicle and execute control for autonomous driving toward the second gate. The first gate being busier than the second gate may be when the number of other vehicles lined up at the first gate is greater than the number of other vehicles lined up at the second gate by a predetermined value or more. The predetermined value here may be, for example, two vehicles. The second gate may be a gate adjacent to the first gate. The second gate may be selected from among the permitted gates. The above configuration can improve convenience for the driver.

[0194] <Operation Example (8) of Driving System> In a driving system 30 equipped with a function for fixing the set vehicle speed within a gate area, the processor 31 may change whether or not to perform speed locking depending on whether or not follow-up control is being performed. When follow-up control is being performed, that is, when a target vehicle is present, it is less difficult to control the vehicle by continuing follow-up control. Therefore, one system design policy may be to maintain the follow-up control state as long as possible. However, if the set speed within the gate area is forcibly fixed, the target vehicle may move away from the vehicle, causing the follow-up control to be released.

[0195] For this reason, in one embodiment, the processor 31 may be configured not to perform speed locking in the gate area if the processor 31 is performing tracking control at a specific timing related to entering the gate area. The specific timing related to entering the gate area may be the timing of entering the gate area or the timing when the remaining time until entering the gate area is a predetermined value (e.g., 3 seconds). If tracking control is released for some reason while traveling in the gate area using tracking control, the processor 31 may perform speed adjustment toward the speed within the area and speed locking from that point on. If the processor 31 is not performing tracking control at the specific timing, the processor 31 may perform speed locking from the specific timing on. If a target vehicle appears in the speed locked state, the processor 31 may release the speed lock and start tracking control at that point on.

[0196] According to the above configuration, the continuation or start of tracking control takes priority over speed lock. This reduces the difficulty of controlling gate passage and increases safety. Furthermore, when a target vehicle is not present, the set speed within the gate area is fixed to the aforementioned in-area speed. This reduces the risk of causing anxiety to the occupants. In addition, by restricting the driving speed within the gate to the in-area speed, the accuracy of gate recognition can be improved.

[0197] <Example of operation of driving system (9)> In a driving system 30 equipped with a function for fixing the set vehicle speed within a gate area, the processor 31 may adjust the timing for starting the speed lock, taking into account the positional relationship with the target lane.

[0198] For example, the processor 31 may be configured to initiate speed locking when the host vehicle is positioned directly in front of the target gate. After initiating speed locking, the processor 31 gradually decelerates the host vehicle toward the set in-zone speed. The timing when the host vehicle is positioned directly in front of the target gate corresponds to the timing when further lateral movement (e.g., lane change) toward the target gate is no longer necessary. If a lane marking is explicitly provided in front of the gate, the timing when the host vehicle enters a lane leading to the target gate corresponds to the timing when the host vehicle is positioned directly in front of the target gate. The state in which the host vehicle is positioned directly in front of the target gate may include a state in which the host vehicle is in a line of vehicles leading to the target gate. The state in which the host vehicle is positioned directly in front of the target gate may be a state in which the host vehicle is in an explicit or virtual lane connecting to the target gate.

[0199] FIG. 14 shows an example of the operation of the processor 31 according to the above concept. Steps S211 to S214 shown in FIG. 14 may be implemented in place of steps S162 to S163 described above. Step S211 is a step in which the processor 31 determines whether the vehicle has entered a gate area (particularly, the area in front of the gate) based on sensor data. Even if the processor 31 determines that the vehicle has entered the gate area (YES in step S211), it maintains the speed set before entering the gate area (step S212). Then, when the host vehicle is positioned directly in front of the target gate (step S213), the in-area speed is applied (step S214).

[0200] In this way, the processor 31 may be configured not to immediately execute speed locking upon entering the pre-gate area. If the speed is reduced immediately after entering the pre-gate area, the speed difference between the vehicle and other vehicles may increase. As a result, the driver's convenience or comfort may be impaired. For example, there is a concern that other vehicles passing near the vehicle at a relatively high speed may make the driver feel uneasy. For this reason, in one embodiment, the processor 31 may be configured to switch the set speed to the in-area speed and lock it when the vehicle is positioned at the target gate.

[0201] <Operation Example (10) of Driving System> When the automatic fare settlement function is unavailable, the processor 31 may set a gate with a manual fare settlement system as the target gate. As shown schematically in FIG. 15 , when the automation level is 3 or higher in the preparation section or the area before the gate and a gate with a manual fare settlement system is set as the target gate, the processor 31 may be configured to set the automation level in the area after the gate to 0. The timing for changing the automation level may be set when the vehicle stops near the gate. According to this aspect, when the vehicle stops at the gate for fare settlement, the operating mode is automatically switched to manual driving mode.

[0202] S181 shown in Figure 15 is a step for determining whether a gate with a manual settlement system is set as the target gate. S181 may be executed when the automation level is 3 or higher in the preparation section or the area in front of the gate. S182 is a step for creating a plan to switch to manual driving mode at the gate location. S183 is a step for creating a plan to maintain AD mode even after passing through the gate. S183 may be a step for setting the automation level after passing through the gate to 2.5 or 2. The automation level after passing through the gate set in S183 may be determined by another algorithm described above.

[0203] When the vehicle stops at a gate to pay the toll, it is difficult for the driving system 30 to detect that the driver has completed payment and is ready to start. Furthermore, it is expected that there will be a large speed difference between the vehicle that has stopped temporarily at the gate and other vehicles that have passed through the automatic payment system. When entering a gate with a manual payment system, it may be more difficult to control the vehicle after passing through the gate than when entering a gate with an automatic payment system. For these reasons, when the vehicle stops at a gate with a manual payment system, safety can be further improved by temporarily leaving driving operations to the driver.

[0204] When the above control is performed, the processor 31 may notify the driver in advance that the operation mode will be switched to manual operation when the driver stops at a gate. For example, the processor 31 may notify the driver in advance that the operation mode will be switched to manual operation at the gate when the driver enters a gate area.

[0205] <System Configuration> The HMI control unit F5 may be located outside the driving system 30. The HMI control unit F5 may be provided in another computer such as an HCU. Some of the data stored in the storage 33 may be stored in an external server or the like. The operating modes implemented in the driving system 30 may be designed as appropriate. A combination of operating modes implemented in the driving system 30 may be a manual driving mode, a hands-on level 2 mode, and a level 3 mode. A combination of operating modes implemented in the driving system 30 may be a manual driving mode, a hands-off level 2 mode, a level 3 mode, and a level 4 mode.

[0206] <Supplementary Note (1)> This specification discloses the following technical concepts and combinations thereof. In addition, vehicle control methods and computer programs corresponding to the following technical concepts are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0207] [Technical Idea 1] A vehicle control device having multiple operating modes with different levels of automation of driving operations, comprising: a control unit (31) that executes processing related to vehicle driving control; and a communication circuit (34) that enables the control unit to communicate with other devices, wherein the control unit is configured to: acquire gate area information, which is information regarding a gate area on a highway through which the vehicle is scheduled to pass, based on a signal received from the other device via the communication circuit; and determine the operating mode when driving through the gate area based on the gate area information.

[0208] [Technical Idea 2] The gate area information includes the presence or absence of lane marks in the gate area, and the vehicle control device is configured to determine the operation mode when traveling through the gate area depending on whether lane marks are provided in the gate area.

[0209] [Technical Idea 3] The gate area information includes the presence or absence of lane marks in the gate area, and the control unit is configured to lower the automation level in the gate area when lane marks are not provided in the gate area compared to when lane marks are provided in the gate area, in the vehicle control device described in Technical Idea 1 or 2.

[0210] [Technical Idea 4] The gate area includes a pre-gate area (41) which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area (42) which is the road area on the exit side of the gate, the gate area information includes the presence or absence of lane marks in the pre-gate area and the presence or absence of lane marks in the post-gate area, and when lane marks are not provided in at least one of the pre-gate area and the post-gate area, the vehicle control device is configured to lower the automation level in the gate area compared to when lane marks are provided in both the pre-gate area and the post-gate area.

[0211] [Technical Idea 5] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 4, wherein the gate area information includes a number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on a road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and a number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on a road connecting to the exit of the gate area, and the control unit is configured to determine the operating mode when traveling through the gate area based on the difference between the number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes.

[0212] [Technical Idea 6] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 5, wherein the gate area information includes a number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on a road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and a number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on a road connecting to the exit of the gate area, and the control unit is configured to lower the automation level when traveling through the gate area as the difference between the number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes becomes larger.

[0213] [Technical Idea 7] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 6, wherein the multiple operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the speed so that the vehicle's traveling speed becomes a set speed, the gate area information includes a number of entry lanes that is the number of lanes on a road connecting to an entrance of the gate area, and a number of exit lanes that is the number of lanes on a road connecting to an exit of the gate area, and the control unit is configured, when the operating mode in the gate area is the speed management mode, to reduce the set speed in the gate area as the difference between the number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes becomes larger.

[0214] [Technical Idea 8] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 7, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate; the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area; and the control unit determines the automation level in the post-gate area depending on whether the number of exit lanes is greater than or equal to the number of entry lanes.

[0215] [Technical Idea 9] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 8, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate; the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area; and the control unit is configured to determine the automation level in the pre-gate area depending on whether the number of exit lanes is greater than or equal to the number of entry lanes.

[0216] [Technical Idea 10] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 9, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate; the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area; and the control unit is configured to determine the automation level in the pre-gate area and the automation level in the post-gate area based on the number of exit lanes and the number of entry lanes.

[0217] [Technical Idea 11] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 10, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate; the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area; and when the number of exit lanes is greater than the number of entry lanes, the control unit sets the automation level in the post-gate area to the same as the automation level in the pre-gate area.

[0218] [Technical Idea 12] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 11, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate; the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area; and the control unit is configured to set the automation level in the post-gate area higher than the automation level in the pre-gate area when the number of exit lanes is less than the number of entry lanes.

[0219] [Technical Idea 13] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 11, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate; the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area; and the control unit is configured to set the automation level in the post-gate area lower than the automation level in the pre-gate area when the number of exit lanes is less than the number of entry lanes.

[0220] [Technical Idea 14] A vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 13, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and the control unit is configured to, when the vehicle enters the gate area in the speed management mode, keep the set speed at a constant value while the vehicle is traveling through the gate area.

[0221] [Technical Idea 15] A vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 14, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and the control unit is configured to continue setting the set speed to a constant in-area speed while the vehicle is traveling through the gate area in the speed management mode, and the in-area speed is a lower value than the set speed applied in a road section before the gate area.

[0222] [Technical Idea 16] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 15, wherein the plurality of operation modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and control in the speed management mode includes follow-up control that causes the vehicle to travel so as to follow a target vehicle, and the control unit is configured to be able to perform a speed lock process that continues to set the set speed to a constant in-area speed suitable for traveling in the gate area, and the control unit is configured to change whether or not to perform the speed lock process depending on whether or not the follow-up control is being performed within the gate area at a specific timing related to entering the gate area.

[0223] [Technical Idea 17] A vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 16, wherein the plurality of operation modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and control in the speed management mode includes follow-up control that causes the vehicle to travel so as to follow a target vehicle, and the control unit is configured to: perform a speed lock process if the follow-up control is not being executed at a specific timing related to entry into the gate area; and not perform the speed lock process if the follow-up control is being executed at the specific timing, and the speed lock process is a process that continues to set the set speed to a constant in-area speed suitable for traveling through the gate area.

[0224] [Technical Idea 18] A vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Ideas 15 to 17, wherein the gate area includes a post-gate area (42) which is a road area on the exit side of the gate, and the control unit is configured to acquire traffic conditions in the post-gate area based on data received using the communication circuit, and when the gate is passed through with the set speed fixed to the in-area speed, change the timing for releasing the fixation of the set speed depending on the traffic conditions in the post-gate area.

[0225] [Technical Idea 19] The vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Ideas 15 to 18, wherein the gate area includes a post-gate area (42) that is a road area on the exit side of the gate, and the control unit is configured to: acquire traffic conditions in the post-gate area based on data received using the communication circuit; when the vehicle passes through the gate with the set speed fixed to the in-area speed and another vehicle is detected around the vehicle in the post-gate area, release the fixation of the set speed upon exiting the post-gate area; and when the vehicle passes through the gate with the set speed fixed to the in-area speed and another vehicle is not detected around the vehicle in the post-gate area, release the fixation of the set speed upon passing through the gate.

[0226] [Technical Idea 20] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 19, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and the control unit is configured to: obtain the relative position of the vehicle with respect to a target gate that is a gate through which the vehicle is scheduled to pass, based on data received using the communication circuit; and fix the set speed to a constant intra-area speed when the vehicle is positioned in front of the target gate.

[0227] [Technical Concept 21] The vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Concepts 15 to 20, wherein the in-area speed is set to a value according to the speed limit in the gate area.

[0228] [Technical Idea 22] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 21, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the speed so that the vehicle's traveling speed becomes a set speed, the gate area information includes information indicating whether the gate area is a gate area for entering a highway, an entry gate area, or an exit gate area that is a gate area for exiting to a general road, and the control unit is configured to change the set speed after passing through a gate provided in the gate area depending on whether the gate area is the exit gate area or not.

[0229] [Technical Idea 23] A vehicle control device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 22, wherein the plurality of operation modes include an autonomous driving mode in which the vehicle is driven autonomously, and control in the autonomous driving mode includes follow-up control in which the vehicle is driven to follow a target vehicle, and the control unit is configured to: acquire data related to a planned entry road which is a road along which the vehicle is planned to travel after the vehicle has passed through the gate area; identify a gate corresponding to the planned entry road; determine whether the target vehicle is traveling toward the gate corresponding to the planned entry road when the follow-up control is being executed within the gate area; and cancel following of the target vehicle when it is determined that the target vehicle is not traveling toward the gate corresponding to the planned entry road.

[0230] [Technical Idea 24] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 23, wherein the plurality of operation modes include an automatic driving mode in which the vehicle drives autonomously, and control in the automatic driving mode includes follow-up control in which the vehicle drives to follow a target vehicle, and the control unit is configured to: when the follow-up control is being executed within the gate area, acquire the number of other vehicles lined up in front of a first gate, which is the gate toward which the target vehicle is heading, and the number of other vehicles lined up in front of a second gate, which is a gate other than the first gate; and when the number of other vehicles lined up in front of the first gate is greater than the number of other vehicles lined up in front of the second gate by a predetermined value or more, cancel follow-up of the target vehicle and drive the vehicle toward the second gate.

[0231] [Technical Idea 25] A vehicle control device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 24, wherein the multiple operating modes include an autonomous driving mode in which the control unit executes all driving tasks and a manual driving mode in which the driver executes all driving tasks, and the control unit is configured to: determine whether the gate through which the vehicle is to pass is a manual settlement gate based on a signal received by the communication circuit; and if the gate through which the vehicle is to pass is a manual settlement gate and the vehicle is traveling toward the gate in the autonomous driving mode, switch the operating mode to the manual driving mode when the vehicle stops at the gate.

[0232] <Supplementary Note (2)> The various flowcharts shown in this disclosure are all examples, and the number of steps constituting the flowcharts and the execution order of the processes can be changed as appropriate. The controls shown in each flowchart may be combined / executed in parallel to the extent that there is no contradiction. Expressions such as acquisition, determination, detection, generation, and calculation may be used interchangeably. The acquisition of certain information by a certain device also includes the device generating the information based on a signal input from another device. The case where the vehicle enters a gate area may be replaced with the case where the remaining distance to the gate point is less than a predetermined value.

[0233] The apparatus, system, and method described herein may be implemented by a special-purpose computer including a processor programmed to execute one or more functions embodied in a computer program. The apparatus and method described herein may be implemented using dedicated hardware logic circuits. The apparatus and method described herein may be implemented by one or more special-purpose computers configured by combining a processor that executes a computer program with one or more hardware logic circuits. For example, some or all of the functions of the processor 31 may be implemented in hardware. Implementations of certain functions in hardware include implementations using one or more integrated circuits (ICs). The processor (computing core) may be a CPU, MPU, GPU, or data flow processor (DFP). Some or all of the functions of the processor 31 may be implemented using a system-on-chip (SoC), an integrated circuit (IC), or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The computer program may be stored as instructions executed by a computer on a computer-readable non-transitory tangible storage medium. The program storage medium may be a hard-disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), flash memory, etc. The scope of the present disclosure also includes forms such as a program for causing a computer to function as the processor 31 and a non-transitory tangible storage medium such as a semiconductor memory on which the program is stored.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device having multiple operating modes with different levels of automation of driving operations, comprising: a control unit (31) that executes processing related to vehicle driving control; and a communication circuit (34) that enables the control unit to communicate with other devices, wherein the control unit is configured to: acquire gate area information, which is information regarding a gate area on a highway through which the vehicle is scheduled to pass, based on a signal received from the other device via the communication circuit; and determine the operating mode when driving through the gate area based on the gate area information.

2. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the gate area information includes the presence or absence of lane marks in the gate area, and the vehicle control device is configured to determine the operating mode when traveling through the gate area depending on whether or not lane marks are provided in the gate area.

3. The vehicle control device described in claim 1, wherein the gate area information includes the presence or absence of lane marks in the gate area, and the control unit is configured to lower the automation level in the gate area when lane marks are not provided in the gate area compared to when lane marks are provided in the gate area.

4. The vehicle control device of claim 1, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area (41) which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area (42) which is the road area on the exit side of the gate, the gate area information includes the presence or absence of lane marks in the pre-gate area and the presence or absence of lane marks in the post-gate area, and when lane marks are not provided in at least one of the pre-gate area and the post-gate area, the automation level in the gate area is lowered compared to when lane marks are provided in both the pre-gate area and the post-gate area.

5. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area, and the control unit is configured to determine the operating mode when traveling through the gate area based on the difference between the number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes.

6. The vehicle control device described in claim 1, wherein the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area, and the control unit is configured to lower the automation level when traveling through the gate area as the difference between the number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes becomes larger.

7. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the multiple operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, the gate area information includes a number of entry lanes that is the number of lanes on a road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and a number of exit lanes that is the number of lanes on a road connecting to the exit of the gate area, and the control unit is configured to reduce the set speed in the gate area as the difference between the number of entry lanes and the number of exit lanes increases when the operating mode in the gate area is the speed management mode.

8. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate; the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area; and the control unit determines the automation level in the post-gate area depending on whether the number of exit lanes is greater than or equal to the number of entry lanes.

9. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area which is the road area on the exit side of the gate, the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area, and the control unit is configured to determine the automation level in the pre-gate area depending on whether the number of exit lanes is greater than or equal to the number of entry lanes.

10. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate, the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area, and the control unit is configured to determine the automation level in the pre-gate area and the automation level in the post-gate area based on the number of exit lanes and the number of entry lanes.

11. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area which is the road area on the exit side of the gate, the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area, and the control unit sets the automation level in the post-gate area to the same as the automation level in the pre-gate area when the number of exit lanes is greater than the number of entry lanes.

12. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate; the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area; and the control unit is configured to set the automation level in the post-gate area higher than the automation level in the pre-gate area when the number of exit lanes is less than the number of entry lanes.

13. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the gate area includes a pre-gate area, which is the road area on the entrance side of the gate, and a post-gate area, which is the road area on the exit side of the gate; the gate area information includes the number of entry lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the entrance of the gate area, and the number of exit lanes, which is the number of lanes on the road connecting to the exit of the gate area; and the control unit is configured to set the automation level in the post-gate area lower than the automation level in the pre-gate area when the number of exit lanes is less than the number of entry lanes.

14. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and the control unit is configured to, when the vehicle enters the gate area in the speed management mode, maintain the set speed at a constant value while the vehicle is traveling through the gate area.

15. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and the control unit is configured to continue setting the set speed to a constant in-area speed while the vehicle is traveling through the gate area in the speed management mode, and the in-area speed is a lower value than the set speed applied in the road section before the gate area.

16. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and control in the speed management mode includes follow-up control that causes the vehicle to travel so as to follow a target vehicle, and the control unit is configured to be able to perform a speed lock process that continues to set the set speed to a constant in-area speed suitable for traveling in the gate area, and the control unit is configured to change whether or not to perform the speed lock process depending on whether or not the follow-up control is being performed within the gate area at a specific timing related to entering the gate area.

17. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and control in the speed management mode includes follow-up control that causes the vehicle to travel so as to follow a target vehicle, and the control unit is configured to perform a speed lock process if the follow-up control is not being executed at a specific timing related to entry into the gate area, and not to perform the speed lock process if the follow-up control is being executed at the specific timing, and the speed lock process is a process that continues to set the set speed to a constant intra-area speed suitable for traveling through the gate area.

18. A vehicle control device as described in any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the gate area includes a post-gate area (42) which is a road area on the exit side of the gate, and the control unit is configured to obtain traffic conditions in the post-gate area based on data received using the communication circuit, and when the gate is passed with the set speed fixed to the in-area speed, change the timing for releasing the fixation of the set speed depending on the traffic conditions in the post-gate area.

19. A vehicle control device as described in any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the gate area includes a post-gate area (42) which is a road area on the exit side of the gate, and the control unit is configured to obtain traffic conditions in the post-gate area based on data received using the communication circuit, and when the vehicle passes through the gate with the set speed fixed to the in-area speed and another vehicle is detected around the vehicle in the post-gate area, release the fixation of the set speed upon exiting the post-gate area, and when the vehicle passes through the gate with the set speed fixed to the in-area speed and another vehicle is not detected around the vehicle in the post-gate area, release the fixation of the set speed upon passing through the gate.

20. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, and the control unit is configured to obtain the relative position of the vehicle with respect to a target gate that is a gate through which the vehicle is scheduled to pass based on data received using the communication circuit, and fix the set speed to a constant intra-area speed when the vehicle is positioned in front of the target gate.

21. A vehicle control device according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the in-area speed is set to a value corresponding to the speed limit in the gate area.

22. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating modes include a speed management mode that automatically adjusts the vehicle's traveling speed to a set speed, the gate area information includes information indicating whether the gate area is a gate area for entering a highway, an entry gate area, or an exit gate area that is a gate area for exiting to a general road, and the control unit is configured to change the set speed after passing through a gate provided in the gate area depending on whether the gate area is the exit gate area or not.

23. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the multiple operating modes include an automatic driving mode in which the vehicle is driven autonomously, and control in the automatic driving mode includes follow-up control in which the vehicle is driven to follow a target vehicle, and the control unit is configured to: acquire data related to a planned entry road, which is a road along which the vehicle is planned to travel after the vehicle has passed through the gate area; identify a gate corresponding to the planned entry road; determine whether the target vehicle is traveling toward the gate corresponding to the planned entry road, when the follow-up control is being executed within the gate area; and cancel following of the target vehicle when it is determined that the target vehicle is not traveling toward the gate corresponding to the planned entry road.

24. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the multiple operating modes include an automatic driving mode in which the vehicle drives autonomously, and control in the automatic driving mode includes follow-up control in which the vehicle drives to follow a target vehicle, and the control unit is configured to, when the follow-up control is being executed within the gate area, obtain the number of other vehicles lined up in front of a first gate, which is the gate toward which the target vehicle is heading, and the number of other vehicles lined up in front of a second gate, which is a gate other than the first gate, and, when the number of other vehicles lined up in front of the first gate is greater than the number of other vehicles lined up in front of the second gate by a predetermined value or more, cancel follow-up of the target vehicle and drive the vehicle toward the second gate.

25. A vehicle control device as described in claim 1, wherein the multiple operating modes include an automatic driving mode in which the control unit executes all driving tasks and a manual driving mode in which the driver executes all driving tasks, and the control unit is configured to determine whether the gate through which the vehicle is to pass is a manual settlement gate based on the signal received by the communication circuit, and if the gate through which the vehicle is to pass is a manual settlement gate and the vehicle is traveling toward the gate in the automatic driving mode, to switch the operating mode to the manual driving mode when the vehicle stops at the gate.

26. A vehicle control method executed by a processor mounted on a vehicle, comprising: acquiring gate area information, which is information relating to a gate area on a highway through which the vehicle is scheduled to pass, from another device via a communication circuit; and determining an operating mode to be used when traveling through the gate area from among a plurality of operating modes with different levels of automation of driving operations, based on the gate area information.

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