Vehicle Travel Control During Passing to Prevent Coasting Deceleration

The system dynamically adjusts the coasting control strategy based on the vehicle's operational context. When a passing operation is detected, the coasting prohibition processing section prohibits the automatic travel control section from initiating coasting, allowing drive travel to continue. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system flexible enough to prioritize driver comfort in passing scenarios while maintaining fuel economy in normal conditions.

The passing detection section detects the start of a passing operation in advance, and the coasting prohibition processing section proactively prohibits coasting initiation before the driver would naturally maintain constant speed. This preliminary anti-action prevents the harmful deceleration effect from occurring during passing, ensuring consistency with driver expectations while still allowing fuel-efficient coasting in non-passing conditions.

The passing detection section continuously monitors vehicle operating conditions and provides feedback to the coasting prohibition processing section. This feedback mechanism enables accurate detection of passing operations through relatively simple means, such as monitoring accelerator pedal position and vehicle speed patterns, rather than requiring complex sensor arrays or processing systems.