Vehicle controller

1. A vehicle controller configured to switchably perform an automated drive mode and a manual drive mode, the automated drive mode automatically controlling at least acceleration and deceleration out of steering, the acceleration and deceleration of a vehicle, the manual drive mode manually controlling the at least acceleration and deceleration out of the steering, the acceleration and the deceleration of the vehicle according to an operation by a driver,

the vehicle controller comprising: a traveling control unit configured to:

output a traveling control command value including at least a vehicle driving force command value which determines a vehicle driving force to control the acceleration and deceleration, the vehicle driving force comprising a vehicle driving force requested in the automated drive mode and a vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode, and

release the automated drive mode and switch to the manual drive mode upon detecting an automated drive release request from the driver; and

an operation member operable by the driver to input an operation amount to control the acceleration and deceleration or to control the steering of the vehicle,

wherein the operation member is any of: an accelerator operation member for operating an accelerator position of the vehicle; a steering operation member for operating the steering of the vehicle; a shift operation member for selecting one of traveling ranges of the vehicle; and a brake operation member for operating a brake of the vehicle,

wherein when the automated drive release request is detected while the vehicle is traveling in the automated drive mode, the traveling control unit performs driving force shift control that gradually shifts the vehicle driving force requested in the automated drive mode to the vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode,

wherein, when the operation of the operation member by the driver is detected, the traveling control unit:

determines the vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode according to the operation amount of the operation member inputted by the driver, and

shifts the vehicle driving force to the vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode with a first shift rate which is higher than a second shift rate, the second shift rate being used in a case:

(i) when the operation of the operation member by the driver is not detected, and

(ii) when the vehicle driving force requested in the automated drive mode is gradually shifted to the vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode.

2. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein

the vehicle controller determines that the automated drive release request is detected when the operation of the operation member is detected when the automated drive mode is selected.

3. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein the operation of the operation member by the driver is an operation of the shift operation member or an operation of the brake operation member.

4. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein the second shift rate is used when the automated drive release request is generated due to an event other than the operation of the operation member by the driver.

5. A method implemented by a processor configured to switchably perform an automated drive mode and a manual drive mode of a vehicle, the automated drive mode automatically controlling at least acceleration and deceleration out of steering, the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle, the manual drive mode manually controlling the at least acceleration and deceleration out of the steering, the acceleration and the deceleration of the vehicle according to an operation by a driver,

the method comprising steps of:

(i) outputting a traveling control command value including at least a vehicle driving force command value which determines a vehicle driving force to control the acceleration and deceleration, the vehicle driving force comprising a vehicle driving force requested in the automated drive mode and a vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode;

(ii) releasing the automated drive mode and switching to the manual drive mode upon detecting an automated drive release request from the driver, wherein when the automated drive release request is detected while the vehicle is traveling in the automated drive mode, a driving force shift control is performed that gradually shifts the vehicle driving force requested in the automated drive mode to the vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode,

wherein, the step (ii) further comprises when an operation of an operation member by the driver is detected:

determining the vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode according to an operation amount of the operation member inputted by the driver, and

shifting the vehicle driving force to the vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode with a first shift rate which is higher than a second shift rate, the second shift rate being used in a case:

(i) when the operation of the operation member by the driver is not detected, and

(ii) when the vehicle driving force requested in the automated drive mode is gradually shifted to the vehicle driving force requested by the driver in the manual drive mode,

wherein the operation member is operable by the driver to input the operation amount to control the acceleration and deceleration or to control the steering of the vehicle, and

wherein the operation member is any of: an accelerator operation member for operating an accelerator position of the vehicle; a steering operation member for operating the steering of the vehicle; a shift operation member for selecting one of traveling ranges of the vehicle; and a brake operation member for operating a brake of the vehicle.