Vehicle Control Device Visible Range Calculation for Lane Change
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control technologies do not adequately consider visual information, leading to driver unease when the field of vision is blocked by a large vehicle, resulting in incomplete utilization of automatic driving or driving assist features.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device that calculates a visible range by excluding the area occupied by a preceding vehicle from the driver's field of vision and executes lane change processing based on this calculated range, ensuring the driver's field of vision is secured during lane changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If automatic lane change or tracking is performed whenever possible, then automation capability is improved, but driver uneasiness increases when field of vision is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter of lane change decision-making from purely automation-based to visibility-based. By calculating visible range and comparing it against required visible range, the system adapts its automation behavior according to visual conditions, reducing automation when visibility is poor to prevent driver uneasiness
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the visible range calculated from the driver's field of vision and using this information to adjust lane change decisions. The feedback loop ensures that automation actions are consistent with driver visual needs, preventing situations that would cause uneasiness
2Object-affected harmful factors
If lane change is restricted to maintain visible range, then driver comfort is improved, but automation effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by making lane change restrictions conditional rather than fixed. The visible range calculation and comparison dynamically determine when restrictions apply, allowing automation to be effective when visibility is sufficient while protecting driver comfort when visibility is poor
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of lane change execution from binary (allowed/disallowed) to conditional (allowed when visible range meets requirement). This parameter change enables the system to balance driver comfort with automation effectiveness by allowing lane changes when they don't compromise visibility
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a vehicle control device capable of reducing unease experienced by a driver and assisting a lane change of a vehicle. A vehicle control device 10 assists a lane change of a vehicle 1, said device comprising: a visible range calculation unit 11 that calculates an area as a visible range by excluding the area occupied by preceding vehicles 201, 202 from the area corresponding to the field of vision whilst driving; and a lane-change control unit 12 that conducts processing related to the lane change, on the basis of the calculated visible range. The lane-change control unit 12 conducts processing related to the lane change on the basis of the visible range of the current-travel lane of the vehicle, and the visible range of the intended change-destination lane of the vehicle.