Vehicle control device
Provided is a vehicle control device that uses a target inter-vehicle distance corresponding to a vehicle in front with respect to a travel lane of an ego-vehicle to enable safe travel while securing an inter-vehicle distance that reduces the level of fear the user is made to feel. The vehicle control device 60 calculates the travel lane area (A) of the ego-vehicle mirroring the area (the preceding vehicle blocking area (B) and the viewing angle blocking area (C)) blocked by the vehicle (preceding vehicle) which is in front of the ego-vehicle and the speed of the ego-vehicle, in the area (the travel lane area (A)) of the lane on which the ego-vehicle travels detected by the sensor, and in a case where the calculated travel lane area (A) of the ego-vehicle is equal to or less than a threshold value, performs vehicle control to adjust the inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the vehicle in front, thereby enabling vehicle control while reducing the level of fear the user is made to feel.
1 . A vehicle control device that controls driving and/or braking of an ego-vehicle to perform preceding vehicle-tracking automatic travel, the vehicle control device comprising:
a road surface detection circuit that detects a travel lane area of a lane on which the ego-vehicle travels;
an object detection circuit that detects an object which is in a direction of travel of the ego-vehicle;
a road surface update circuit that updates the travel lane area on a basis of the travel lane area of the ego-vehicle detected by the road surface detection circuit and a preceding vehicle blocking area imparted to a user by a preceding vehicle detected by the object detection circuit;
a target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit that, in light of the travel lane area updated by the road surface update circuit, adjusts a target inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the preceding vehicle.
2 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a viewing angle calculation circuit that calculates, from the speed of the ego-vehicle, a viewing angle blocking area representing the effect of a viewing angle on the user,
wherein the road surface update circuit mirrors the viewing angle blocking area in the travel lane area.
3 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein the road surface detection circuit calculates the travel lane area on the basis of a feature point which is in the direction of travel of the ego-vehicle or an auxiliary line preset in the direction of travel of the ego-vehicle.
4 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein the object detection circuit detects an outline of the object and calculates the preceding vehicle blocking area on the basis of the preceding vehicle blocking area enclosed by the outline.
5 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where there is a plurality of objects and in a case where an inter-vehicle distance between the plurality of objects is equal to or less than a threshold value, the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit adjusts the target inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the preceding vehicle.
6 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where a behavior of the object is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit adjusts the target inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the preceding vehicle.
7 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a driver state detection circuit that detects a state of the user,
wherein, in a case where the state of the user detected by the driver state detection circuit is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit adjusts the target inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the preceding vehicle.
8 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where a recognition rate of feature points which are in the direction of travel of the ego-vehicle and detected by the road surface detection circuit is equal to or less than a threshold value, the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit adjusts the target inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the preceding vehicle.
9 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the object is in a fear correction point set in advance by the vehicle control device, the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit adjusts the target inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the preceding vehicle.
10 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the target inter-vehicle distance is not adjusted in light of the travel lane area, the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit uses a default value as the target inter-vehicle distance.
11 . The vehicle control device according to claim 10 , wherein the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit uses, as the default value, a value set in advance by the vehicle control device or a value arbitrarily set by the user.
12 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a notification controller that notifies the user of a state and a change in the target inter-vehicle distance, information on the object, or travel environment information of the ego-vehicle and information on surroundings thereof.
13 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an abnormality detection circuit that detects an abnormality of the road surface detection circuit, the object detection circuit, the road surface update circuit, or the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit; and
a stop controller that, in a case where the abnormality detection circuit detects an abnormality, stops some or all of functions of vehicle travel control.
14 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an abnormality detection circuit that detects an abnormality of the road surface detection circuit, the object detection circuit, the road surface update circuit, or the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit;
a stop controller that, in a case where the abnormality detection circuit detects an abnormality, stops some or all of functions of vehicle travel control; and
a notification controller that notifies the user in a case where the abnormality detection circuit detects an abnormality or in a case where the stop controller stops some or all of the functions of the vehicle travel control.
15 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the travel lane area is equal to or less than a threshold value, the target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit sets the target inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the preceding vehicle to a maximum target inter-vehicle distance set in advance by the vehicle control device, and, in a case where the travel lane area is greater than the threshold value, sets the target inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the preceding vehicle to a default value set in advance by the vehicle control device.
16 . A vehicle control device that controls driving and/or braking of an ego-vehicle to perform preceding vehicle-tracking automatic travel, the vehicle control device comprising:
a road surface detection circuit that detects a travel lane area of a lane on which the ego-vehicle travels;
an object detection circuit that detects an object which is in a direction of travel of the ego-vehicle;
a road surface update circuit that updates the travel lane area on a basis of the travel lane area of the ego-vehicle detected by the road surface detection circuit and a preceding vehicle blocking area imparted to a user by a preceding vehicle detected by the object detection circuit;
a target inter-vehicle distance adjustment circuit that, in light of the travel lane area updated by the road surface update circuit, adjusts a target inter-vehicle distance between the ego-vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and
a viewing angle calculation circuit that calculates, from a speed of the ego-vehicle, a viewing angle blocking area representing an effect of a viewing angle on the user, wherein the road surface update circuit mirrors the viewing angle blocking area in the travel lane area.