Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and vehicle control system
A vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a vehicle control system according to the present invention obtain an inter-vehicle time based on a relative distance between a first vehicle traveling, in front of an own vehicle, in a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the own vehicle travels and a second vehicle traveling in the second lane in front of the first vehicle and based on a relative velocity of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle, obtain a relative acceleration of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle, set the first vehicle as a high-stress vehicle based on a lane change space that is based on the inter-vehicle time, the relative acceleration, and a relative distance between the second vehicle and a third vehicle traveling in the first lane in front of the own vehicle, and output a control command for changing a driving state of the own vehicle based on a relative distance between the high-stress vehicle and the own vehicle. This makes it possible to improve the driving safety of a vehicle on a road with multiple lanes in each direction.
1 . A vehicle control device provided in a vehicle including a surrounding environment recognition unit which recognizes other vehicles traveling around the vehicle and driving lanes around the vehicle, the vehicle control device comprising:
a control unit that performs a calculation based on input information and outputs a calculation result,
wherein the control unit is configured to calculate:
based on information obtained from the surrounding environment recognition unit,
a first relative distance between a first vehicle traveling, in front of the vehicle, in a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the vehicle travels and a second vehicle traveling in the second lane in front of the first vehicle;
a relative velocity of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle,
a relative acceleration of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle;
a second relative distance between the second vehicle and a third vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle in the first lane; and
a third relative distance between the first vehicle and the vehicle,
determine whether the first vehicle is a high-stress vehicle that is unable to make a lane change despite a lane change request to change from the second lane to the first lane based on a first inter-vehicle time that is based on the first relative distance and the relative velocity, the relative acceleration, and a lane change space that is based on the second relative distance, and
output a control command for changing a driving state of the vehicle to make way for the first vehicle which is determined to be the high-stress vehicle, in a case in which the third relative distance is within a predetermined range when the first vehicle is determined to be the high-stress vehicle.
2 . The vehicle control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein after setting the first vehicle as the high-stress vehicle, the control unit cancels the setting of the first vehicle as the high-stress vehicle based on the lane change space and a predetermined space.
3 . The vehicle control device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein when the lane change space is larger than the predetermined space and a predetermined time elapses after the first vehicle is set as the high-stress vehicle, the control unit cancels the setting of the first vehicle as the high-stress vehicle.
4 . The vehicle control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
determine, based on information on obtained from the surrounding environment recognition unit, whether a first condition in which the second lane is to the left of the first lane and a third lane is to the right of the first lane, a second condition in which a second inter-vehicle time between the vehicle and a fourth vehicle traveling in the first lane behind the vehicle is shorter than a predetermined inter-vehicle time, and a third condition in which a fourth relative distance between the vehicle and a fifth vehicle traveling in the third lane in front of the vehicle is longer than a predetermined first distance and a fifth relative distance between the vehicle and a sixth vehicle traveling in the third lane behind the vehicle is longer than the predetermined second distance are satisfied and
output the control command to cause the vehicle to make a lane change to the third lane when the first condition, the second condition, and the third condition are satisfied.
5 . The vehicle control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when the second lane is to the right of the first lane, the control unit outputs the control command to adjust a speed of the vehicle.
6 . The vehicle control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when the second lane is to the left of the first lane and the first lane is a rightmost lane, the control unit outputs the control command to adjust a speed of the vehicle.
7 . The vehicle control device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when the relative acceleration is greater than a decision threshold based on the inter-vehicle time and the lane change space is within a range between predetermined thresholds, the control unit sets the first vehicle as the high-stress vehicle.
8 . The vehicle control device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the control unit sets the decision threshold at a higher value as the first inter-vehicle time increases.
9 . A vehicle control method performed by a controller which is provided in a vehicle including a surrounding environment recognition unit which recognizes other vehicles traveling around the vehicle and driving lanes around the vehicle the method comprising:
calculating based on information obtained from the surrounding environment recognition unit,
a first relative distance between a first vehicle traveling, in front of the vehicle, in a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the vehicle travels and a second vehicle traveling in the second lane in front of the first vehicle;
a relative velocity of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle;
a relative acceleration of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle;
a second relative distance between the second vehicle and a third vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle in the first lane, and
a third relative distance between the first vehicle and the vehicle,
determining whether the first vehicle is a high-stress vehicle that is unable to make a lane change despite a lane change request to change from the second lane to the first lane based on a first inter-vehicle time that is based on the first relative distance and the relative velocity, the relative acceleration, and a lane change space that is based on the second relative distance; and
outputting a control command for changing a driving state of the vehicle to make way for the first vehicle which is determined to be the high-stress vehicle, in a case in which the third relative distance is within a predetermined range when the first vehicle is determined to be the high-stress vehicle.
10 . A vehicle control system comprising:
a braking device provided in a vehicle;
a drive device provided in the vehicle;
a steering device provided in the vehicle; and
a surrounding environment recognition unit provided in the vehicle and recognizes other vehicles traveling around the vehicle and driving lanes around the vehicle, and
a controller provided in the vehicle, that is configured to calculate based on information obtained from the surrounding environment recognition unit,
a first relative distance between a first vehicle traveling, in front of the vehicle, in a second lane adjacent to a first lane in which the vehicle travels and a second vehicle traveling in the second lane in front of the first vehicle;
a relative velocity of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle;
a relative acceleration of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle;
a second relative distance between the second vehicle and a third vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle in the first lane; and
a third relative distance between the first vehicle and the vehicle,
determine whether the first vehicle is a high-stress vehicle that is unable to make a lane change despite a lane change request to change from the second lane to the first lane based on a first inter-vehicle time that is based on the first relative distance and the relative velocity, the relative acceleration, and a lane change space that is based on the second relative distance, and
output, to at least one of the braking device, the drive device, or the steering device, a control command for changing a driving state of the vehicle to make way for the first vehicle which is determined to be the high-stress vehicle, in a case in which the third relative distance is within a predetermined range when the first vehicle is determined to be the high-stress vehicle.