Device and method for controlling vehicle

1 . A device for controlling a first vehicle, the device comprising:

a memory storing at least one instruction; and

a processor,

wherein the at least one instruction is configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the device to:

determine, based on at least one sensor, whether a target vehicle exists based on detecting a speed control command according to a user input, wherein the target vehicle is a second vehicle for which a distance to the first vehicle is predicted to decrease based on the speed control command being executed;

based on absence of the target vehicle, control a speed of the first vehicle at a first rate of speed change corresponding to the speed control command;

based on presence of the target vehicle, generate a control signal for changing, at a second rate of speed change, the speed of the first vehicle to a target speed, and control the first vehicle, based on the control signal, to change the speed of the first vehicle to the target speed during a speed changing period;

control autonomous driving of the first vehicle, wherein the speed control command is detected during the autonomous driving of the first vehicle;

after changing the speed of the first vehicle to the target speed, maintain the target speed; and

based on an additional speed control command received while maintaining the target speed, transfer a control authority of the first vehicle to a driver of the first vehicle,

wherein the control signal is generated based on a determination that the first vehicle is traveling at a speed that increases the distance between the first vehicle and the target vehicle, and

wherein the target speed is determined based on a speed of the target vehicle.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, is configured to cause the device to:

change, based on a determination that the first vehicle is faster than the target vehicle, the speed of the first vehicle to the target speed by reducing the speed of the first vehicle such that a difference between the speed of the first vehicle and the speed of the target vehicle becomes less than or equal to a speed difference threshold, and

determine that the first rate of speed change of the first vehicle is a deceleration rate that causes a collision of the first vehicle and the target vehicle,

wherein the target vehicle is a following vehicle that follows the first vehicle, and

wherein the second rate of speed change for changing the speed of the first vehicle to the target speed is lower than the first rate of speed change of the first vehicle.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, is configured to cause the device to:

after the speed changing period, decelerate the first vehicle based on:

a brake-pedal position sensor signal; and

a leading vehicle, in a position ahead of the first vehicle, associated with a risk of collision with the first vehicle being detected based on a time to collision.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, is configured to cause the device to:

change, based on a determination that the first vehicle is slower than the target vehicle, the speed of the first vehicle to the target speed by increasing the speed of the first vehicle such that a difference between the speed of the first vehicle and the speed of the target vehicle becomes less than or equal to a speed difference threshold, and

determine that the first rate of speed change of the first vehicle is an acceleration rate that causes a collision of the first vehicle and the target vehicle,

wherein the target vehicle is a leading vehicle in front of the first vehicle, and

wherein the second rate of speed change for changing the speed of the first vehicle to the target speed is lower than the first rate of speed change of the first vehicle.

5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, is configured to cause the device to:

after the speed changing period, accelerate the first vehicle based on:

an accelerator position sensor signal; and

a following vehicle, which follows the first vehicle, associated with a risk of collision with the first vehicle being detected based on a time to collision.

6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, is configured to cause the device to:

output an alarm to inform the driver of the first vehicle that the speed control command is limited, and

transfer a control right of the first vehicle to the driver based on a second speed control command being detected after outputting the alarm.

7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, is configured to cause the device to maintain the target speed by ignoring an additional speed control command detected after the speed changing period.

8 . A method for controlling a first vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting, by a device, a speed control command associated with a first rate of speed change of the first vehicle;

determining, based on at least one sensor, whether a target vehicle exists based on detecting the speed control command, wherein the target vehicle is a second vehicle for which a distance to the first vehicle is predicted to decrease based on the speed control command being executed;

based on absence of the target vehicle, controlling a speed of the first vehicle at the first rate of speed change corresponding to the speed control command;

based on presence of the target vehicle, changing, at a second rate of speed change of the first vehicle, the speed of the first vehicle to a target speed during a speed changing period;

controlling autonomous driving of the first vehicle, wherein the speed control command is detected during the autonomous driving of the first vehicle;

after changing the speed of the first vehicle to the target speed, maintaining the target speed; and

based on an additional speed control command received while maintaining the target speed, transferring a control authority of the first vehicle to a driver of the first vehicle,

wherein the changing the speed of the first vehicle to the target speed is based on a determination that the first vehicle is traveling at a speed that increases the distance between the first vehicle and the target vehicle, and

wherein the target speed is determined based on a speed of the target vehicle.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the detecting of the speed control command comprises:

identifying that a change amount of a brake-pedal position sensor signal of the first vehicle within a unit time is greater than or equal to a first threshold value.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the changing of the speed of the first vehicle comprises:

reducing the speed of the first vehicle by decelerating the first vehicle, wherein the target vehicle is a following vehicle that follows the first vehicle, and

wherein the second rate of speed change of the first vehicle is lower than the first rate of speed change of the first vehicle.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the determining whether a target vehicle exists comprises:

detecting, based on a time to collision, a leading vehicle, in a position ahead of the first vehicle, associated with a risk of collision with the first vehicle, and

wherein the method further comprises, after the speed changing period, decelerating the first vehicle based on:

the brake-pedal position sensor signal; and

the detected leading vehicle.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the detecting of the speed control command comprises:

identifying that a change amount of an accelerator position sensor signal of the first vehicle within a unit time is greater than or equal to a second threshold value.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the changing of the speed of the first vehicle comprises:

increasing the speed of the first vehicle by accelerating the first vehicle, wherein the target vehicle is a leading vehicle in a position ahead of the first vehicle, and

wherein the second rate of speed change of the first vehicle is lower than the first rate of speed change of the first vehicle.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the determining whether a target vehicle exists comprises:

detecting, based on a time to collision, a following vehicle, which follows the first vehicle, associated with a risk of collision with the first vehicle, and

wherein the method further comprises, after the speed changing period, accelerating the first vehicle based on:

the accelerator position sensor signal; and

the detected following vehicle.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the changing of the speed of the first vehicle is performed based on a determination that a time gap between the first vehicle and the target vehicle is greater than or equal to a preset threshold time.

16 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

outputting an alarm to inform the driver of the first vehicle that the speed control command is limited; and

transferring a control right of the first vehicle to the driver based on a second speed control command being detected after outputting the alarm.

17 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

maintaining the target speed by ignoring an additional speed control command detected after the speed changing period.