IP Library Granted Patent US 12703380
Granted Patent B2
US 12703380 · App. 18/674,201 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Vehicle, control device and control method therefor

Inventors: Yuji Yasui (Wako, JP); Gakuyo Fujimoto (Wako, JP); Misako Yoshimura (Wako, JP)
Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
B60W50/16B60K35/28B60W10/20B60W30/09B60W30/0956G06V20/597B60K2360/178B60K2360/1868B60K2360/188B60W2050/143B60W2050/146B60W2420/403B60W2540/225
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12703380
App. No.
18/674,201
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control device for controlling a vehicle is configured to identify a risk factor present in surroundings of the vehicle and a direction of the risk factor with respect to the vehicle, display, on the display device, risk information indicating the direction of the risk factor with a first emphasis degree, and take a guidance action using the steering operation element. The guidance action guides a driver of the vehicle to operate the steering operation element to avoid the risk factor. When the guidance action using the steering operation element is taken, avoidance information indicating an advancing direction of the vehicle to avoid the risk factor is displayed on the display device, and the risk information is displayed with a second emphasis degree lower than the first emphasis degree, or the risk information is not displayed.

Claims (30)

1 . A control device for controlling a vehicle including a display device and a steering operation element, the control device comprising a memory storing instructions, and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to:

identify a risk factor present in surroundings of the vehicle and a direction of the risk factor with respect to the vehicle;

display, on the display device, risk information indicating the direction of the risk factor with a first emphasis degree; and

take a guidance action using the steering operation element, the guidance action guiding a driver of the vehicle to operate the steering operation element to avoid the risk factor;

when the guidance action is taken using the steering operation element,

display, on the display device, avoidance information indicating an advancing direction of the vehicle to avoid the risk factor, and the risk information with a second emphasis degree lower than the first emphasis degree; and

in a case where a display position of the avoidance information overlaps a display position of the risk information, shift the display position of the risk information to a direction of moving away from a route of the vehicle for avoiding the risk factor.

2 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to display the avoidance information with a third emphasis degree higher than the second emphasis degree.

3 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

detect a line-of-sight direction of the driver;

determine whether the driver recognizes the risk factor, based on the line-of-sight direction; and

in a case where the risk factor is present and the guidance action is not taken using the steering operation element,

when it is determined that the driver does not recognize the risk factor, display, on the display device, the risk information with the first emphasis degree, and

when it is determined that the driver recognizes the risk factor, display, on the display device, the risk information with a fourth emphasis degree lower than the first emphasis degree.

4 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to identify a distance to the risk factor, and

the risk information further indicates the distance to the risk factor.

5 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to, in a case where a possibility that the vehicle comes into contact with an object present in the surroundings of the vehicle is equal to or larger than a threshold, identify the object as the risk factor.

6 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to, in a case where the risk factor is present and while the guidance action is not taken using the steering operation element, keep displaying the risk information.

7 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the risk factor includes a traffic participant present in the surroundings of the vehicle.

8 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the guidance action includes at least one of changing torque for the driver to rotate the steering operation element, vibrating a specific part of the steering operation element, and applying force of a rotation direction to the steering operation element.

9 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the instructions to display the risk information and the avoidance information in different colors.

10 . A vehicle comprising the control device according to claim 1 .

11 . A non-transitory storage medium for storing a program that causes a computer to function as the control device according to claim 1 .

12 . A method for controlling a vehicle including a display device and a steering operation element, the method comprising:

identifying a risk factor present in surroundings of the vehicle and a direction of the risk factor with respect to the vehicle;

displaying, on the display device, risk information indicating the direction of the risk factor with a first emphasis degree;

taking a guidance action using the steering operation element, the guidance action guiding a driver of the vehicle to operate the steering operation element to avoid the risk factor;

when the guidance action is taken using the steering operation element, displaying, on the display device, avoidance information indicating an advancing direction of the vehicle to avoid the risk factor and the risk information with a second emphasis degree lower than the first emphasis degree; and

in a case where a display position of the avoidance information overlaps a display position of the risk information, shifting the display position of the risk information to a direction of moving away from a route of the vehicle for avoiding the risk factor.