Control device and storage medium

Abstract

This control device: after a predetermined authority transfer condition for transferring the driving authority of a vehicle to a driver is satisfied, detects an evacuation space through which it is possible to avoid a collision between the vehicle and an object approaching in front of the vehicle; and in order to guide the vehicle in the direction of the evacuation space, causes a projection device to display, on a front window, a guidance display for operating the steering wheel and thereby aligning a mark for positioning on the steering wheel with the guidance display on the front window.

Description

Control Device and Recording Medium

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device and a recording medium.

[0002] In recent years, an advanced driver assistance system that acquires information on the surrounding environment of a vehicle using sensors such as cameras, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and millimeter-wave radars and automatically controls the driving of the vehicle has been put into practical use. In the advanced driver assistance system, the system executes all driving tasks including steering and acceleration / deceleration, and in an emergency, the driving authority is transferred from the system to the driver. Examples of emergencies in which the driving authority is transferred from the system to the driver include cases where the system has failed, such as an abnormality in the sensor, and cases where avoidance behavior by control is impossible due to a decrease in the detection accuracy of the sensor.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2024-082998, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-112608

[0004] However, in a situation where avoidance behavior by the system is impossible or when a sudden transfer of driving authority occurs, the driver will receive the transfer of driving authority in a panic state. In such a case, it is not easy for the driver to take a calm driving action, and for example, when an obstacle suddenly appears in front of the vehicle, the driver may not be able to take an action to avoid a collision.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a control device and a recording medium that induce the driver's steering operation so that the vehicle heads in the direction of a retreat space when the driving authority of the vehicle is transferred from the system to the driver in an emergency.

[0006] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of this disclosure, a control device is provided comprising: a display control unit that controls a display device that displays an image on the front windshield of a vehicle; and a delegation of authority determination unit that determines whether or not to transfer the driving authority of the vehicle to the driver during the execution of driving assistance control that assists in driving the vehicle; wherein, after a predetermined delegation of authority condition for transferring the driving authority of the vehicle to the driver is met, the device detects an evacuation space in which a collision between the vehicle and an object approaching in front of the vehicle can be avoided, and in order to guide the vehicle toward the evacuation space, the device displays a guidance display on the front windshield using the display device so as to align the alignment mark on the steering wheel with the guidance display on the front windshield by operating the steering wheel.

[0007] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, from another perspective of this disclosure, a non-temporary tangible recording medium is provided which records a program that causes a computer to detect an escape space where a collision between the vehicle and an object approaching in front of the vehicle can be avoided, after a predetermined authority transfer condition is met in which the authority to drive the vehicle is transferred to the driver while driver assistance control assists the driving of the vehicle is being performed, and to display a guidance display on the front windshield using the display device so that the vehicle is guided in the direction of the escape space by operating the steering wheel to align the alignment mark on the steering wheel with the guidance display on the front windshield.

[0008] As explained above, according to this disclosure, when the driving authority of the vehicle is transferred from the system to the driver in an emergency, the driver's steering operation can be guided so that the vehicle moves towards the evacuation space.

[0009] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle equipped with a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control device according to the same embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the driving assistance process by the control device according to the same embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of guidance display by the control device according to the same embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the driving operation guidance process by the control device according to the same embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram showing the display position of the guidance display by the control device according to the same embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram showing yet another example of guidance display by the control device according to the same embodiment. This is an explanatory diagram showing yet another example of guidance display by the control device according to the same embodiment.

[0010] Preferred embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. The specific dimensions, materials, numerical values, etc., shown in the following embodiments are merely examples to facilitate understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanations.

[0011] <1. Overall Configuration of the Driving Operation Guidance System> First, an example of the configuration of a driving operation guidance system equipped with a control device according to the embodiment of this disclosure will be described. The driving operation guidance system described below is provided as a function of a driving support system.

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of a vehicle 1 equipped with a driver assistance system 10. The vehicle 1 shown in Figure 1 is configured as a front-wheel drive vehicle that transmits the drive torque output from the drive force source 3 to the front wheels. The drive force source 3 may be an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, a drive motor, or both an internal combustion engine and a drive motor.

[0013] Vehicle 1 may be, for example, a rear-wheel drive vehicle, a four-wheel drive vehicle, or an electric vehicle equipped with drive motors corresponding to each wheel. Furthermore, if Vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, Vehicle 1 is equipped with a battery that stores the power supplied to the drive motors, and a generator such as a motor or fuel cell that generates the power charged to the battery.

[0014] The driver assistance system 10 includes a drive force source 3, an electric steering device 11, and brake devices 7LF, 7RF, 7LR, and 7RR (hereinafter collectively referred to as "brake device 7" unless otherwise specified) as equipment used for controlling the operation of the vehicle 1. The drive force source 3 outputs drive torque that is transmitted to the front wheel drive shaft 5 via a transmission and a front wheel differential mechanism (not shown). The drive of the drive force source 3 and the transmission is controlled by a control device 50 which is composed of one or more electronic control units (ECUs).

[0015] The electric steering system 11 includes an electric motor and gear mechanism (not shown) and is controlled by the control device 50 to adjust the steering angles of the left and right front wheels. The control device 50 controls the electric steering system 11 so that the vehicle 1 travels within the driving lane when the driver assistance function switch is turned on and the driving mode is set to automatic driving mode. The control device 50 also controls the electric steering system 11 based on the steering angle of the steering wheel 20 by the driver when the driving mode is set to manual driving mode.

[0016] The brake system 7 applies braking force to the front, rear, left, and right wheels, respectively. The illustrated brake system 7 is configured as a hydraulic brake system. By controlling the hydraulic pressure supplied to each brake system 7 by the brake fluid pressure control unit 9, a predetermined braking force is generated. If the vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle, the brake system 7 is used in conjunction with regenerative braking by the drive motor.

[0017] Furthermore, the driver assistance system 10 is equipped with a LiDAR 31 and a camera 33 as sensors for detecting the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1. The LiDAR 31 is connected to the control device 50 via wired or wireless communication means and transmits the measured point cloud data to the control device 50. In addition, a radar sensor such as a millimeter-wave radar may be provided instead of the LiDAR 31, or in conjunction with the LiDAR 31.

[0018] Camera 33 is a pair of left and right imaging devices equipped with image sensors such as CCD (Charged-Coupled Devices) or CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor). Camera 33 is connected to the control device 50 via wired or wireless communication means and transmits the generated image data to the control device 50. Camera 33 may be a stereo camera, a monocular camera, or both. In addition to the camera that photographs the front, vehicle 1 may also be equipped with a camera that photographs the rear of vehicle 1, or a camera mounted on a side mirror or the like that photographs the left rear or right rear.

[0019] Furthermore, the driver assistance system 10 is equipped with a vehicle speed sensor 18 and a brake sensor 19 as sensors for detecting the driving state and operating state of the vehicle 1. The vehicle speed sensor 18 detects, for example, the rotation speed of one or more wheels. The control device 50 calculates the speed of the vehicle 1 based on the sensor signal output from the vehicle speed sensor 18. The brake sensor 19 detects the amount of brake pedal operation by the driver.

[0020] Furthermore, the driver assistance system 10 is equipped with a steering angle sensor (not shown) provided on the steering support mechanism 25 that supports the steering wheel 20. The steering angle sensor detects the steering angle of the steering wheel 20. In addition, the driver assistance system 10 is equipped with various other sensors (not shown), such as an accelerator opening sensor, an acceleration sensor, and an angular velocity sensor, as sensors for detecting the driving state and operating state of the vehicle 1. The control device 50 acquires the sensor signals output from these sensors.

[0021] The driver assistance system 10 also includes a driver imaging camera 35, a projection device 24, a positioning mark display device (not shown), a switch 39, and a notification device 40. The driver imaging camera 35 is an imaging device equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and is installed so as to include at least the face of the driver of the vehicle 1 in its imaging range. The driver imaging camera 35 is connected to the control device 50 via wired or wireless communication means and transmits the generated image data to the control device 50.

[0022] The projection device 24 is a display device that displays an image on the front windshield of the vehicle 1. The projection device 24 may be a HUD (Head Up Display) device, for example, mounted on the top surface of the dashboard, that projects a given image onto the front windshield. The alignment mark display device is mounted on the steering wheel 20 and displays alignment marks, which will be described later. The alignment mark display device may be an LED (Light Emitting Diode) element, for example, placed on the steering wheel 20, but is not particularly limited as long as it can switch between a state that is easy for the driver to recognize and a state that is difficult for the driver to recognize. The projection device 24 and the alignment mark display device are driven by the control device 50.

[0023] Switch 39 is operated by the driver to switch on or off the driver assistance function, which is a system that takes over the driving task of the vehicle 1. Switch 39 may be a physical switch, a touch panel, or a voice input device.

[0024] The notification device 40 notifies the occupants of various information by means such as image display and sound output, based on drive commands output from the control device 50. The notification device 40 includes, for example, a display device provided in the instrument panel and a speaker provided in the vehicle 1. The display device may be a display device of a navigation system, or a projection device 24 may be used.

[0025] The control device 50 consists of one or more electronic control devices that control the driver assistance system 10. The control device 50 includes one or more processors such as CPUs (Central Processing Units) and one or more memories connected to the one or more processors in a communicative manner. The control device 50 functions as a device that controls the driver assistance system 10 by having one or more processors execute a computer program. The computer program is a computer program that causes the processor to execute the operations that the control device 50 should perform, as described later. The computer program executed by the processor may be recorded on a recording medium that functions as a memory in the control device 50, or it may be recorded on a recording medium built into the control device 50 or on any external recording medium that can be attached to the control device 50.

[0026] Recording media for storing computer programs may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes; optical recording media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, and Blu-ray®; magneto-optical media such as floppy disks; memory elements such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory); flash memory such as USB memory and SSDs; and other media capable of storing programs.

[0027] <2. Control Device> Next, the configuration of the control device 50 according to this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0028] Figure 2 is a block diagram functionally showing the part of the control device 50 that is related to the process of transferring driving authority of vehicle 1 from the system to the driver. The control device 50 is connected to the steering angle sensor 15, vehicle speed sensor 18, brake sensor 19, LiDAR 31, camera 33, driver image camera 35, projection device 24, alignment mark display device 28, switch 39, and notification device 40 via a dedicated line or a communication means such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or LIN (Local Internet). The control device 50 is also connected to the brake fluid pressure control unit 9 and the electric steering device 11 via a dedicated line or a communication means such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or LIN (Local Internet).

[0029] The control device 50 comprises a processing unit 51 and a storage unit 53. The processing unit 51 is configured with one or more processors. Part or all of the processing unit 51 may be configured with updatable components such as firmware, or it may be a program module executed by commands from a CPU or the like. The control device 50 may be configured as a single device, or it may be configured as multiple devices connected to each other in a manner that allows them to communicate with one another.

[0030] The storage unit 53 is composed of one or more memory elements (RAM or ROM) that are connected to the processing unit 51 in a communicative manner. However, the number and type of storage units 53 are not particularly limited. The storage unit 53 stores computer programs executed by the processing unit 51, various parameters used in arithmetic processing, detection data, calculation results, and other data. A portion of the storage unit 53 is used as the work area of ​​the processing unit 51.

[0031] The processing unit 51 includes a driver assistance control unit 61, a delegation of authority determination unit 62, a braking control unit 63, a steering control unit 64, and a display control unit 65. The driver assistance control unit 61, the delegation of authority determination unit 62, the braking control unit 63, the steering control unit 64, and the display control unit 65 are functions realized by the execution of a computer program by one or more processors. Note that some or all of the driver assistance control unit 61, the delegation of authority determination unit 62, the braking control unit 63, the steering control unit 64, and the display control unit 65 may be configured using hardware such as analog circuits.

[0032] The driver assistance control unit 61 performs driver assistance control to automatically control the driving of the vehicle 1 when the driver assistance function is activated. For example, the driver assistance control unit 61 acquires information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1 detected by sensors that detect the surrounding environment, such as the LiDAR 31 and the camera 33, and controls the steering angle of the wheels and acceleration / deceleration so that the vehicle 1 travels within the driving lane at a set speed. The driver assistance function can be switched on or off by a signal output from the switch 39.

[0033] The specific details of the driver assistance control provided by the driver assistance function may be, for example, automated driving control using conventionally known advanced driver assistance functions, and a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0034] The authority transfer determination unit 62 determines whether a predetermined authority transfer condition has been met during the execution of driver assistance control, which transfers the driving authority of the vehicle 1 from the system to the driver. The predetermined authority transfer condition may be, for example, the acquisition of an abnormal signal from a sensor that detects the surrounding environment, such as the LiDAR 31 and the camera 33. The abnormal signal from the sensor may be, for example, a signal indicating a sensor malfunction, a signal indicating a decrease in detection accuracy due to poor visibility, or a signal indicating that the vehicle is driving in an area where there are no road boundaries.

[0035] Furthermore, a predetermined authority delegation condition may be that the system cannot avoid an obstacle suddenly detected in front of vehicle 1. For example, the authority delegation determination unit 62 determines that the system cannot avoid the obstacle if it determines, based on the distance to the suddenly detected obstacle and the relative speed between vehicle 1 and the obstacle, that it is difficult to avoid a collision between vehicle 1 and the obstacle. Other predetermined authority delegation conditions may be arbitrarily set as conditions that allow the system to determine that it is unable to provide driving assistance control.

[0036] After predetermined authority transfer conditions are met, the braking control unit 63 controls the braking force of the vehicle 1 based on the driver's operation of the brake pedal. For example, the braking control unit 63 sets a target brake torque based on the amount of brake pedal operation and controls the brake fluid pressure control unit 9 to generate braking force on each wheel.

[0037] The steering control unit 64 controls the steering angle of the front wheels based on the driver's steering input after predetermined authority transfer conditions are met. The braking control unit 63 and the steering control unit 64 enable the vehicle 1 to be driven in accordance with the driver's driving input in an emergency.

[0038] The display control unit 65 detects an evacuation space where a collision between the vehicle 1 and an object approaching in front of the vehicle 1 can be avoided, after predetermined authority transfer conditions are met during the execution of driver assistance control. The display control unit 65 also uses the projection device 24 to display guidance displays on the front windshield, allowing the driver to align alignment marks on the steering wheel 20 with the guidance displays on the front windshield by operating the steering wheel 20. This enables the driver to avoid collisions between the vehicle 1 and objects by operating the steering wheel 20 with the goal of aligning the alignment marks with the guidance displays, rather than relying on instinct.

[0039] <3. Operation> Up to this point, the configuration of the control device 50 according to this embodiment has been described. Next, the operation guidance processing method by the control device 50 according to this embodiment will be described in detail.

[0040] Figure 3 shows a flowchart of the processes performed by the control device 50. When the control device 50 detects that the driver assistance function switch 39 has been turned on (step S11), it starts driver assistance control of the vehicle 1 (step S13). For example, the driver assistance control unit 61 of the control device 50 acquires information about the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1 detected by the LiDAR 31 and camera 33, etc., and controls the steering angle of the wheels and acceleration / deceleration so that the vehicle 1 travels within the driving lane at a set speed.

[0041] Next, the control device 50 determines whether a predetermined authority transfer condition has been met for transferring the driving authority of the vehicle 1 from the system to the driver (step S15). For example, the authority transfer determination unit 62 of the control device 50 determines that a predetermined authority transfer condition has been met when it acquires an abnormal signal from a sensor that detects the surrounding environment, such as the LiDAR 31 and the camera 33. Alternatively, the authority transfer determination unit 62 may determine that a predetermined authority transfer condition has been met when, upon sudden detection of an obstacle in front of the vehicle 1, it determines, based on the distance to the obstacle and the relative speed between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle, that it is difficult to avoid a collision between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle.

[0042] If the control device 50 does not determine that the predetermined authority transfer conditions have been met (S15 / No), it determines whether the driver assistance function switch 39 has been turned off (step S17). If the control device 50 does not determine that the driver assistance function switch 39 has been turned off (S17 / No), it returns to step S15. On the other hand, if the control device 50 determines that the driver assistance function switch 39 has been turned off (S17 / Yes), it stops the driver assistance control (step S25). As a result, the driving authority of vehicle 1 is transferred from the system to the driver, and the driving mode of vehicle 1 switches to manual driving mode.

[0043] In the above step S15, when the control device 50 determines that a predetermined authority transfer condition is satisfied (S15 / Yes), it outputs an alarm sound and performs an alarm display (step S19). For example, the authority transfer determination unit 62 of the control device 50 drives the notification device 40 to output an alarm sound and display a state indicating that the driving support control by the system has become impossible.

[0044] Next, the control device 50 transfers the driving authority of the vehicle 1 from the system to the driver (step S21). For example, the control device 50 switches the driving mode of the vehicle 1 to the manual driving mode. Thereby, the braking control unit 63 and the steering control unit 64 start controlling to drive the brake hydraulic pressure control unit 9 and the electric power steering device 11 according to the operation amount of the brake pedal and the steering angle of the steering wheel 20 by the driver, respectively.

[0045] Next, the control device 50 executes a guidance display process (step S23). Hereinafter, an example of the guidance display process will be described along the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 while appropriately referring to the example of the guidance display shown in FIG. 4.

[0046] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the guidance display process by the display control unit 65 of the control device 50. When starting the guidance display process, the display control unit 65 drives the alignment mark display device 28 and displays an alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 (step S31). For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the display control unit 65 lights up the alignment mark display device 28 arranged at the upper end in the state where the steering angle of the steering wheel 20 is 0 degrees. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the display control unit 65 displays an alignment mark 71 in the shape of a triangle having a vertex at the top.

[0047] Next, the display control unit 65 detects an evacuation space where a collision with an approaching object can be avoided (step S33). For example, the display control unit 65 uses information such as the shape and width of the road, obstacles such as curbs and buildings, and surrounding traffic participants such as other vehicles and pedestrians detected by sensors that detect the surrounding environment, such as the LiDAR 31 and the camera 33, and information such as the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 18 to detect a space that the vehicle 1 can reach to avoid a collision with a preceding vehicle approaching ahead.

[0048] Next, the display control unit 65 calculates the limit steering angle of the steering wheel 20 based on the current vehicle speed and steering angle of the vehicle 1 (step S35). For example, the display control unit 65 calculates the maximum steering angle at which the vehicle 1 will not spin or roll over based on the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 18 and the steering angle information of the steering wheel 20 detected by the steering angle sensor 15. For example, the display control unit 65 refers to map information in which the relationship between the vehicle speed, the steering angle, and the maximum steering angle is recorded in advance considering the weight of the vehicle 1 and the characteristics of the suspension, and calculates the maximum steering angle.

[0049] Next, the display control unit 65 sets the display position of the guidance display 73 based on the information on the direction of the evacuation space calculated in step S33 and the information on the limit steering angle calculated in step S35 (step S37). For example, the display control unit 65 sets the display position of the guidance display 73 so that it coincides with the position where the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 comes when the steering wheel 20 is rotated by the limit steering angle in the direction of the evacuation space. However, if the display control unit 65 can avoid a collision between the vehicle 1 and the object, it may set the display position of the guidance display 73 so that it coincides with the position where the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 comes when the steering wheel 20 is rotated within a range smaller than the limit steering angle.

[0050] In this case, the display control unit 65 may set the display position of the guidance display 73 based on at least one piece of information from the driver's seating position, shoulder position, head position, eye position, and line of sight. For example, the display control unit 65 detects at least one of the driver's seating position, shoulder position, head position, eye position, and line of sight based on the image captured by the driver camera 35, and sets the display position of the guidance display 73 on the extension of the line connecting the position where the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 is located when the steering wheel 20 is rotated by the limit steering angle in the direction of the retraction space, and the position of the driver's eyes.

[0051] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating how the position of the guidance indicator 73 changes depending on the driver's eye position, and schematically shows the front windshield W, steering wheel 20, alignment mark 71, guidance indicator 73, and the driver's eye 75 as viewed from above the vehicle. Even if the position of the alignment mark 71 displayed on the steering wheel 20 is the same, the point where the line of sight passing through the alignment mark 71 intersects with the front windshield changes depending on the driver's viewing position.

[0052] Therefore, the display control unit 65 determines the position on the front windshield where the driver's line of sight intersects with the alignment mark 71 when the steering wheel 20 is rotated by the limit steering angle in the direction of the retraction space, based on information that allows the driver to estimate the position of the driver's eyes or line of sight, and sets the display position of the guidance display 73 to that position. This reduces the risk that the driver may rotate the steering wheel 20 beyond the limit steering angle.

[0053] Next, the display control unit 65 displays the guidance display 73 on the front windshield (step S39). For example, the display control unit 65 controls the drive of the projection device 24 and displays the guidance display 73 at a set display position on the front windshield. In the example shown in Figure 4, a triangular guidance display 73 is displayed with its vertex pointing towards the center of the steering wheel 20. Therefore, the driver can clearly perceive the action target of aligning the upper end of the alignment mark 71 displayed on the steering wheel 20 with the vertex of the guidance display 73.

[0054] Next, the display control unit 65 determines whether the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 overlaps with the guidance display 73 displayed on the front vibration panel, as seen from the driver's perspective (step S41). For example, the display control unit 65 determines whether the alignment mark 71 and the guidance display 73 overlap as seen from the driver's perspective, based on the image captured by the driver camera 35. Alternatively, the display control unit 65 may determine whether the steering angle of the steering wheel 20 has reached its limit steering angle.

[0055] If the display control unit 65 does not determine that the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 is overlapping with the guidance display 73 displayed on the front vibrator as seen from the driver's perspective (S41 / No), it proceeds to step S45. On the other hand, if the display control unit 65 determines that the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 is overlapping with the guidance display 73 displayed on the front vibrator as seen from the driver's perspective (S41 / Yes), it fades out the guidance display 73 (step S43).

[0056] As shown in Figure 4, the display control unit 65 continues the guidance display 73 until the alignment mark 71 overlaps with the guidance display 73 as seen from the driver's perspective, and then fades out the guidance display 73 when the alignment mark 71 overlaps with the guidance display 73. Instead of fading out the guidance display 73 when the alignment mark 71 overlaps with the guidance display 73 as seen from the driver's perspective, the display control unit 65 may also fade out the guidance display 73 when the alignment mark 71 exceeds the guidance display 73 by a predetermined amount. The display control unit 65 may also make the guidance display 73 disappear instantaneously instead of fading it out, but fading it out prevents the guidance display 73 from repeatedly appearing and disappearing due to fluctuations in the steering angle.

[0057] Next, the display control unit 65 determines whether the vehicle speed has become 0, that is, whether vehicle 1 has stopped (step S45). If the display control unit 65 does not determine that the vehicle speed has become 0 (S45 / No), it returns to step S35 and continues the guidance display processing. On the other hand, if the display control unit 65 determines that the vehicle speed has become 0 (S45 / Yes), it terminates the guidance display processing.

[0058] Returning to Figure 3, the control device 50 stops the driver assistance control after the guidance display processing is completed (step S25). In this manner, when the control device 50 transfers the driving authority of the vehicle 1 from the system to the driver during the execution of driver assistance control, the control device 50 displays a guidance display 73 on the front windshield using the projection device 24, so that the driver can align the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 with the guidance display 73 on the front windshield by operating the steering wheel 20. As a result, even when the driver receives the transfer of driving authority in an emergency, the driver can avoid collisions between the vehicle 1 and objects by operating the steering wheel 20 with the action goal of aligning the alignment mark 71 with the guidance display 73, rather than relying on their senses.

[0059] <4. Variations of the Guidance Sign> Next, we will explain some variations of the guidance sign 73 shown in Figure 4.

[0060] Figure 7 shows a first modified example of the guidance indicator. The guidance indicator 77 shown in Figure 7 consists of lines representing the target position for moving the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20. With a guidance indicator 77 displayed as lines, the indicator 77 is displayed at a height that the driver can see without lowering their gaze, and the driver can reliably recognize the action target for rotating the steering wheel 20. Therefore, the driver can rotate the steering wheel 20 while keeping their eyes on the surrounding driving environment and recognize that they are in a state where they can avoid a collision.

[0061] Figure 8 shows a second modified example of the guidance indicator. The guidance indicator 79 shown in Figure 8 consists of arrows indicating the rotation direction and limit steering angle of the steering wheel 20. With the guidance indicator 79 displayed with arrows, the driver can clearly recognize the direction in which to avoid the vehicle 1 and the angle by which to rotate the steering wheel 20. Therefore, the driver can reliably recognize the action target that they should take.

[0062] Figure 9 shows a third modified example of the guidance indicator. The guidance indicator 81 shown in Figure 9 consists of two hatches 81a and 81b that represent dangerous areas where the steering angle of the steering wheel 20 is excessive or insufficient. The hatch 81a in the direction in which the steering wheel 20 should be rotated indicates that if the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 moves to the area of ​​hatch 81a, there is a risk that the vehicle 1 may spin or roll over. The other hatch 81b indicates that if the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 remains in the area of ​​hatch 81b, there is a risk that a collision between the vehicle 1 and an object cannot be avoided. Therefore, the driver can reliably recognize the action target of rotating the steering wheel 20 so that the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 is between the two hatches 81a and 81b.

[0063] The guidance indicator may be set in any way other than the above-described modification, as long as it shows a target for aligning the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20.

[0064] <5. Effects> As described above, the control device 50 according to this embodiment includes a display control unit 65 that controls a projection device 24 that displays an image on the front windshield of the vehicle 1, and an authority transfer determination unit 62 that determines whether or not to transfer the driving authority of the vehicle 1 to the driver during the execution of driving support control that assists in driving the vehicle 1. After a predetermined authority transfer condition for transferring the driving authority of the vehicle 1 to the driver is met, the control device 50 detects an evacuation space in which a collision between the vehicle 1 and an object approaching in front of the vehicle 1 can be avoided, and in order to guide the vehicle 1 toward the evacuation space, the control device 50 displays a guidance display 73 on the front windshield by the projection device 24 so that the driver can operate the steering wheel 20 to align the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 with the guidance display 73 on the front windshield.

[0065] Therefore, the driver can clearly recognize the behavioral objectives of the steering wheel 20 operation to be performed when the authority to drive is transferred, and by following the guidance rather than relying on their senses, they can avoid the vehicle 1 spinning or rolling over, while also avoiding a collision between the vehicle 1 and an object.

[0066] Furthermore, the control device 50 according to this embodiment displays an alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 after a predetermined authority transfer condition is met. The alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 may be displayed at all times or fixed in place, but by displaying the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 after a predetermined authority transfer condition is met, the driver can concentrate on driving without having to worry about the alignment mark 71 except when driving authority is being transferred.

[0067] Furthermore, the control device 50 according to this embodiment determines the limit steering angle, which is the maximum steering angle that will not cause the vehicle 1 to spin or roll over, and sets the display position of the guidance display 73 within a range where the steering angle of the steering wheel 20 does not exceed the limit steering angle. As a result, the driver can instantly recognize the direction and amount of rotation to which the steering wheel 20 should be turned. Therefore, the driver can take action to avoid a collision between the vehicle 1 and an object in a short amount of time.

[0068] Furthermore, the control device 50 according to this embodiment sets the display position of the guidance display 73 based on at least one piece of information from the driver's seating position, shoulder position, head position, eye position, and line of sight. This allows the driver to clearly recognize the target range for rotating the steering wheel 20 and reduces the risk of rotating the steering wheel 20 beyond the limit steering angle.

[0069] Furthermore, the control device 50 according to this embodiment terminates the guidance display 73 when the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 moves to the position of the guidance display 73 on the front windshield, as viewed from the driver. This allows the driver to recognize that they are operating the steering wheel 20 correctly and prevents excessive or insufficient rotation of the steering wheel 20. Note that when the alignment mark 71 on the steering wheel 20 moves to the position of the guidance display 73 on the front windshield, as viewed from the driver, this may be when the alignment mark 71 overlaps with the position of the guidance display 73, or when the alignment mark 71 goes beyond the position of the guidance display 73.

[0070] While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains that various modifications or alterations may be conceived within the scope of the technical idea set forth in the claims, and these will naturally also be understood to fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0071] For example, in the above embodiment, a positioning mark display device 28 is provided on the steering wheel 20, and a positioning mark 71 appears when the conditions for transferring driving authority are met. However, the positioning mark 71 may be permanently installed on the steering wheel 20. Even with this configuration, the same effects as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

[0072] Furthermore, the technology disclosed herein can also be realized as a driving operation guidance system described in the embodiments described above, a vehicle equipped with the driving operation guidance system, a driving operation guidance processing method executed by the control device of the driving operation guidance system, a computer program that causes a computer to function as the control device described above, and a non-temporary tangible recording medium on which the computer program is recorded.

[0073] 1: Vehicle 10: Driver assistance system 11: Electric steering device 20: Steering wheel 24: Projection device 28: Alignment mark display device 35: Driver camera 39: Switch 50: Control device 51: Processing unit 61: Driver assistance control unit 62: Authority delegation determination unit 63: Braking control unit 64: Steering control unit 65: Display control unit 71: Alignment mark 73, 77, 79, 81: Guidance display 81a: Hatching 81b: Hatching

Claims

1. A control device comprising: a display control unit that controls a display device that displays an image on the front windshield of a vehicle; and a delegation of authority determination unit that determines whether or not to transfer the driving authority of the vehicle to the driver during the execution of driving assistance control that assists in driving the vehicle, wherein after a predetermined delegation of authority condition for transferring the driving authority of the vehicle to the driver is met, the device detects an evacuation space in which a collision between the vehicle and an object approaching in front of the vehicle can be avoided, and in order to guide the vehicle toward the evacuation space, the device displays a guidance display on the front windshield using the display device, which allows the driver to align a mark on the steering wheel with the guidance display on the front windshield by operating the steering wheel.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein, after the predetermined authority transfer conditions are met, the alignment marks are displayed on the steering wheel.

3. The control device according to claim 1, which determines the limit steering angle, which is the maximum steering angle that does not cause the vehicle to spin or roll over, and sets the display position of the guidance display within a range in which the steering angle of the steering wheel does not exceed the limit steering angle.

4. The control device according to claim 1, which sets the display position of the guidance display based on at least one piece of information from the driver's seating position, shoulder position, head position, eye position, and line of sight.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the guidance display is terminated when the alignment mark on the steering wheel moves to the position of the guidance display on the front windshield, as seen from the driver's perspective.

6. A non-temporary tangible recording medium that records a program causing a computer to perform the following actions: after a predetermined authority transfer condition is met for transferring driving authority of the vehicle to the driver while driving assistance control is being performed to assist in driving the vehicle, the computer detects an escape space in which a collision between the vehicle and an object approaching in front of the vehicle can be avoided; and the computer displays a guidance display on the front windshield using a display device, so as to allow the driver to align the alignment marks on the steering wheel with the guidance display on the front windshield by operating the steering wheel, in order to guide the vehicle toward the escape space.

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