VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE
When an own vehicle in an autonomous-driving mode obstructs travel of another vehicle or is traveling not with the flow of traffic, the own vehicle is brought into a travel state in which the driver does not feel discomfort. When a determiner 85 determines that the own vehicle obstructs the travel of another vehicle or is traveling not with the flow of traffic, a notification controller 86 outputs, to an HMI device 22, a signal for causing the HMI device 22 to make a notification.
1 . A vehicle control device configured to control an own vehicle capable of autonomous driving,
wherein, when the own vehicle in an autonomous driving mode obstructs travel of another vehicle or is traveling not with the flow of traffic, a notification is given to a driver of the own vehicle.
2 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , comprising:
another vehicle travel state detector configured to detect a travel state of the other vehicle;
a determiner configured to determine whether the own vehicle obstructs the travel of the other vehicle based on the travel state of the other vehicle; and
a notification controller configured to output a signal for causing a notification device installed in the own vehicle to make the notification when the determiner determines that the own vehicle obstructs the travel of the other vehicle.
3 . The vehicle control device according to claim 2 , wherein the another vehicle travel state detector detects a travel state of a following vehicle traveling behind the own vehicle as the travel state of the other vehicle, and
the determiner makes the determination based on the travel state of the following vehicle.
4 . The vehicle control device according to claim 3 , wherein, when the following vehicle approaches the own vehicle, the determiner determines that the own vehicle obstructs travel of the following vehicle.
5 . The vehicle control device according to claim 3 , wherein the another vehicle travel state detector further detects a travel state of a preceding vehicle that is traveling or is stopping ahead of the own vehicle, and
the determiner makes the determination based on the travel state of the preceding vehicle and the travel state of the following vehicle.
6 . The vehicle control device according to claim 5 , wherein, when the preceding vehicle moves away from the own vehicle, and the following vehicle approaches the own vehicle, the determiner determines that the own vehicle obstructs the travel of the following vehicle.
7 . The vehicle control device according to claim 5 , wherein, when the preceding vehicle is stopping ahead of the own vehicle, and the following vehicle is stopping behind the own vehicle or approaching the own vehicle, the determiner determines that the own vehicle obstructs the travel of the following vehicle.
8 . The vehicle control device according to claim 3 , further comprising an own vehicle travel state detector configured to detect a travel state of the own vehicle,
wherein, when the own vehicle is stopping with a predetermined margin distance left ahead of the own vehicle, and the following vehicle approaches the own vehicle, the determiner determines that the own vehicle obstructs the travel of the following vehicle.
9 . The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , comprising:
an own vehicle travel state detector configured to detect a travel state of the own vehicle;
a surrounding environment detector configured to detect a surrounding environment of the own vehicle;
a determiner configured to determine whether the own vehicle is traveling with the flow of traffic based on the travel state and the surrounding environment of the own vehicle; and
a notification controller configured to output a signal for causing a notification device installed in the own vehicle to make the notification when the determiner determines that the own vehicle is traveling not with the flow of traffic.
10 . The vehicle control device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a driver's intention detector configured to detect an intention of the driver of the own vehicle for the notification; and
a drive switcher configured to switch a drive mode of the own vehicle from autonomous driving to manual driving in accordance with the intention of the driver,
wherein the notification controller outputs information representing a result of the determination made by the determiner as the signal.