Controller, driving control method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program

1. A controller that controls driving of an autonomously moving vehicle, the controller comprising:

a first sensor that detects an obstacle present in a periphery of the vehicle, and detects a direction of travel of the vehicle; and

a processor that

sets a virtual region surrounding the periphery of the vehicle, the processor configured to stop the vehicle when changing from a state where the obstacle is not detected within the virtual region to a state where the obstacle is detected within the virtual region,

determines whether or not the obstacle is present in the direction of travel of the vehicle,

determines whether or not the vehicle has been stopped for a predetermined amount of time or longer when the obstacle is determined to be present in the direction of travel of the vehicle,

reduces a length of the virtual region in the direction of travel to provide an adjusted virtual region when the vehicle is determined to have been stopped for the predetermined amount of time or longer,

causes the vehicle to drive when the obstacle is not detected within the adjusted virtual region, and

stops the vehicle when changing from a state where the obstacle is not detected within the adjusted virtual region to a state where the obstacle is detected within the adjusted virtual region.

2. The controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the obstacle is a person.

3. The controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the obstacle is another vehicle, and

wherein the processor further

reduces a width of the virtual region when the vehicle is determined to have been stopped for the predetermined amount of time or longer.

4. The controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein, the processor further

determines whether or not the vehicle has been driving at a predetermined speed or slower for a predetermined amount of time or longer when the vehicle is determined not to have been stopped for the predetermined amount of time or longer, and

reduces a width of the virtual region when the vehicle is determined to have been driving at the predetermined speed or slower for the predetermined amount of time or longer.

5. The controller according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a memory that stores map information,

wherein the map information includes information of roads included in the map, and a width of each driving lane making up the roads, and

wherein the processor further

determines whether or not a width of a driving lane that the vehicle is traveling on is narrower than a predetermined width, based on a current GPS location of the vehicle and the map information,

reduces a width of the virtual region when the width of the driving lane is determined to be narrower than the predetermined width, and

increases the width of the virtual region when the width of the driving lane is determined to be equal to or wider than the predetermined width.

6. The controller according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second sensor that detects a steering angle of the vehicle,

wherein the processor further

modifies a portion of the virtual region to have a radial angle in accordance with the detected steering angle and the direction of travel.

7. The controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processor further

controls a driving speed of the vehicle in accordance with a size of the virtual region.

8. The controller according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a memory,

wherein the memory stores a correlation between various traffic signs and traffic rules corresponding to the traffic signs, and

wherein the processor further

recognizes a sign included in an image captured by a camera provided to the vehicle when the vehicle is determined to have been stopped for the predetermined amount of time of longer,

extracts a traffic rule corresponding to the recognized sign based on the correlation,

determines whether or not the vehicle can drive under the extracted traffic rule, and

reduces a length of the virtual region in the direction of travel when it is determined that the vehicle can drive under the extracted traffic rule.

9. The controller according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processor further

receives detection results, from a third sensor that is installed outside of the vehicle, in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and has a different detection range from the first sensor, indicating whether or not the obstacle is present at a periphery of the third sensor, and

increases a length of the virtual region in the direction of travel, when detection results from the first sensor indicate that the obstacle is not present in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and the detection results received from the third sensor indicate that the obstacle is present at the periphery of the third sensor.

10. A method of controlling driving of an autonomously moving vehicle, the method comprising:

setting a virtual region surrounding a periphery of the vehicle using a processor included in the vehicle, the processor configured to stop the vehicle when changing from a state where the obstacle is not detected within the virtual region to a state where the obstacle is detected within the virtual region;

determining, using the processor, whether or not the obstacle is present in the direction of travel of the vehicle;

determining, using the processor, whether or not the vehicle has been stopped for a predetermined amount of time or longer when the obstacle is determined to be detected in the direction of travel of the vehicle;

reducing a length of the virtual region in the direction of travel to provide an adjusted virtual region when the vehicle is determined to have been stopped for the predetermined amount of time or longer;

causing the vehicle to drive when the obstacle is not detected within the adjusted virtual region; and

stopping the vehicle when changing from a state where the obstacle is not detected within the adjusted virtual region when the obstacle is detected within the adjusted virtual region.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program controlling driving of an autonomously moving vehicle, the program causing a processor to

set a virtual region surrounding a periphery of the vehicle, the processor configured to stop the vehicle when changing from a state where the obstacle is not detected within the virtual region to a state where the obstacle is detected within the virtual region,

determine whether or not the obstacle is present in the direction of travel of the vehicle,

determine whether or not the vehicle has been stopped for a predetermined amount of time or longer when the obstacle is determined to be detected in the direction of travel of the vehicle,

reduce a length of the virtual region in the direction of travel to provide an adjusted virtual region when the vehicle is determined to have been stopped for the predetermined amount of time or longer,

cause the vehicle to drive when the obstacle is not detected within the adjusted virtual region, and

stop the vehicle when changing from a state where the obstacle is not detected within the adjusted virtual region to a state where the obstacle is detected within the adjusted virtual region.