Apparatus and method for assisting driving of host vehicle

1. An apparatus for assisting driving of a host vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

at least one vehicle sensor configured to:

detect a driving state of the host vehicle, and

acquire information of an exterior of the host vehicle; and

a controller configured to:

communicably be connected to the at least one vehicle sensor,

perform a preceding vehicle following function,

receive information of the host vehicle and a preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle from at least one vehicle sensor,

determine a stop state of the host vehicle based on at least one of speed information of the host vehicle, accelerator pedal state information of the host vehicle, brake pedal state information of the host vehicle, or transmission gear state information of the host vehicle,

determine a stop state of the preceding vehicle based on information of the stop state of the host vehicle, speed information of the preceding vehicle, and distance information between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle,

determine a start of the preceding vehicle after a stop of the preceding vehicle based on speed change information of the preceding vehicle and distance change information between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and

notify the start of the preceding vehicle after the stop of the preceding vehicle to a driver of the host vehicle if the preceding vehicle is determined to restart after the stop of the preceding vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the speed change information of the preceding vehicle is determined by at least one of a speed of the preceding vehicle or an acceleration time of the preceding vehicle, and

wherein the controller is operable to determine the start of the preceding vehicle after the stop if at least one of a condition that the speed of the preceding vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined start speed of the preceding vehicle or a condition that the acceleration time of the preceding vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined acceleration time of the preceding vehicle is satisfied.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the distance change information of the preceding vehicle is determined by a change of a distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and

wherein the controller is operable to determine the start of the preceding vehicle after the stop if at least one of a condition that the distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle after the stop of the preceding vehicle exceeds a predetermined start distance or a condition that the state that the distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle exceeds the predetermined start distance is maintained for a predetermined distance change time is satisfied.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to:

determine a traffic signal in front of the host vehicle based on traffic information or information from the at least one vehicle sensor, and

determine the start of the preceding vehicle based on the traffic signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the controller is operable to:

determine a driving path of the host vehicle based on at least one of turn indicator information of the host vehicle or navigation information,

determine the traffic signal on the driving path, and

determine that the preceding vehicle is not started if the traffic signal on the driving path is a stop signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to determine a congestion state of a road on which the host vehicle travels based on surrounding vehicle information including at least one of a speed of surrounding vehicle around the host vehicle or a distance between the host vehicle and the surrounding vehicle, and

wherein the controller is operable to determine the start of the preceding vehicle by further using surrounding vehicle information including at least one of the speed of the surrounding vehicle around the host vehicle or a distance between the surrounding vehicle and the host vehicle if the road is in the congestion state.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to determine a congestion state of a road on which the host vehicle travels based on surrounding vehicle information including at least one of a speed of surrounding vehicle around the host vehicle or a distance between the host vehicle and the surrounding vehicle, and

wherein the controller is operable to:

reset reference values for determining the speed change information or the distance change information, and

determine the start of the preceding vehicle by using the reset reference values.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to collect and store driving habit information of the driver of the host vehicle while the preceding vehicle following function is inactive, and

wherein the controller is operable to set at least one of reference value for the speed information of the host vehicle for determining the stop of the host vehicle, the speed information of the preceding vehicle for determining the stop of the preceding vehicle, the speed change information or the distance change information, for determining the start of the preceding vehicle based on the driving habit information of the driver of the host vehicle.

9. A controller for assisting driving of a host vehicle, the controller comprising:

a host vehicle stop determiner configured to determine a stop state of the host vehicle based on at least one of speed information of the host vehicle, accelerator pedal state information of the host vehicle, brake pedal state information of the host vehicle or transmission gear state information of the host vehicle;

a preceding vehicle stop determiner configured to determine a stop state of the preceding vehicle based on information of the stop state of the host vehicle, speed information of the preceding vehicle, and distance information between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle;

a preceding vehicle start determiner configured to determine a start of the preceding vehicle after the stop of the preceding vehicle based on speed change information of the preceding vehicle and distance change information between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and

a start notifier configured to notify the start of the preceding vehicle after the stop to a driver of the host vehicle if the preceding vehicle is determined to restart after the stop.

10. A method for assisting driving of a host vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a stop state of the host vehicle based on at least one of speed information of the host vehicle, accelerator pedal state information of the host vehicle, brake pedal state information of the host vehicle, or transmission gear state information of the host vehicle;

determining a stop state of a preceding vehicle in front of the host vehicle based on information of the stop state of the host vehicle, speed information of the preceding vehicle, and distance information between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle;

determining a start of the preceding vehicle after the stop of the preceding vehicle based on speed change information of the preceding vehicle and distance change information between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle; and

notifying the start of the preceding vehicle after the stop to a driver of the host vehicle if the preceding vehicle is determined to restart after the stop.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the speed change is determined by at least one of a condition that a speed of the preceding vehicle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined start speed or a condition that the speed of the preceding vehicle is accelerated for greater than a predetermined acceleration time.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein a distance change is determined by at least one of a condition that a distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined start distance or a condition that the distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle is changed for greater than a predetermined distance change time.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising confirming a traffic signal in front of the host vehicle based on traffic information,

wherein the determining the start of the preceding vehicle includes determining the start of the preceding vehicle by further using the traffic signal in front of the host vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising confirming a driving path of the host vehicle based on at least one of driving data including a turn indicator information of the host vehicle or navigation information,

wherein the confirming includes confirming the traffic signal on the driving path of the host vehicle, and

wherein the determining the start of the preceding vehicle includes determining that the preceding vehicle does not start if the traffic signal on the driving path of the host vehicle is a stop signal.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining a congestion state of a road on which the host vehicle travels based on surrounding vehicle information including at least one of a speed of a surrounding vehicle around the host vehicle or a distance between the surrounding vehicle and the host vehicle,

wherein the determining the start of the preceding vehicle includes determining the start of the preceding vehicle by further using surrounding vehicle information including at least one of the speed of the surrounding vehicle around the host vehicle or the distance between the surrounding vehicle and the host vehicle if the road is in the congestion state.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining a congestion state of a road on which the host vehicle travels based on surrounding vehicle information including at least one of a speed of the surrounding vehicle around the host vehicle and a distance between the surrounding vehicle and the host vehicle,

wherein the determining the start of the preceding vehicle includes:

resetting reference values for determining the speed change information or the distance change information; and

determining the start of the preceding vehicle by using the reference values.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

collecting and storing driving habit information of the driver of the host vehicle while the preceding vehicle following function is inactive; and

setting at least one of a reference value for the speed information of the host vehicle for determining the stop of the host vehicle, the speed information of the preceding vehicle for determining the stop of the preceding vehicle, the speed change information, or the distance change information for determining the start of the preceding vehicle based on the driving habit information of the driver of the host vehicle.